Exit Q, Inconsequentially, With “Q2”

The Good: Most of the acting, Moments of humor
The Bad: Very predictable plot, No lasting character development or plot progression.
The Basics: Janeway asks for nothing in exchange for taking care of the younger Q in “Q2.”


I respect shows that, as they know they are nearing an end, attempt to patch up loose ends, especially if they are a spin-off already and know that the next spin-off will not allow for the opportunity to revisit the dangling plot threads. Q, who was hardly a recurring character on Star Trek: Voyager with “Death Wish” (reviewed here!) and “The Q And The Grey” (reviewed here!), returned as the series was winding down in “Q2.” The producers of the Star Trek franchise knew that the next series was going to be a prequel at this point, so “Q2” wrote the Q-Continuum out and it is an unfortunate exit for the once-omnipotent species.

“Q2” sees the brief return of Q and the prolonged return of Q’s son, Q. It is, essentially, a recasting of “Deja Q” (reviewed here!). The younger Q is put in the same position that Q was put in in that episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. While it is initially humorous, it is yet another degradation in the original concept of the Q, though its familiar aspects do remind the viewer of how good the Star Trek franchise had been.

After Icheb delivers a long report on early StarFleet history, the young Q appears on Voyager, followed by Q. Q (the elder) quickly abandons the young teenager Q on Voyager. There, Q throws a party in Engineering, removes Neelix’s vocal chords, and provokes the Borg to chase Voyager and almost destroy it and its crew. Rescued at the last minute by the elder Q, Janeway tries to convince Q to pay attention to his son and discipline the boy. After only ten minutes of attempting to give his son order, Q surrenders.

After punishing the young Q by keeping him as an amoeba, Q restores his son and tells him he has one week to shape up or face eternity as a single-celled organism. His powers removed, the young Q is given tasks on the ship to accomplish, including a diplomatic simulation, cooking in the mess hall and learning consequences with Icheb and Seven Of Nine. Icheb does his best to befriend Q and in the process, the young Q learns compassion.

“Q2” is really just “Deja Q” recast, which makes fans of the franchise severely underwhelmed by the episode. The episode has its moments, though the humor of Q bellowing not to provoke the Borg and Q begging Janeway never quite rise to the level of humor of Worf suggesting Q die or Guinan stabbing Q in the hand with a fork. When the episode is not trying to be funny, it unfortunately fails to be original.

The main function of Q, senior, in the episode is to provide a sense of originality for the character and a stark contrast to the (mostly) human characters in the Star Trek franchise. Q, rather smartly, is surprisingly indifferent to being a parent and has no real fraternal drive. For a race that has never had children, this is a surprisingly insightful character trait and it makes sense for the always arrogant Q.

Unfortunately, Q – the younger – not only learns the same lesson Q learned in “Deja Q,” he does it in almost the same way. Q, apparently, have a penchant for running away.

Keegan de Lancie plays the younger Q and perhaps his most interesting moments of performance come when he is playing opposite his father, John de Lancie. At the outset of the episode, the de Lancie’s perfectly embody what is expected of the Q and it sets a high bar for the episode. Unfortunately, Keegan de Lancie continues to play the younger Q as an annoying, arrogant teenager with no flair or hint of the power his character had at the beginning of the episode. Manu Intiraymi plays Icheb as fairly stiff through much of the episode. The performance regresses Icheb and it is an unfortunate portrayal of the character. It is ironic because on his own and in one of the first scenes where Keegan de Lancie and Intiraymi play off one another, they have decent banter and on-screen chemistry. That fades, though, as the episode goes on.

“Q2” further undermines the character of Captain Janeway, though. When the Chakuzan Captain tells Janeway that she will bear the consequences of Q’s actions, she looks horrified instead . . . well, willing to take responsibility. That is unfortunate. The lack of originality of “Q2” is all that remains unfortunate for the episode.

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

For the other episodes in the Q Saga, check out my reviews of:
“Encounter At Farpoint”
“Hide And Q”
“Q-Who?”
“QPid”
“True Q”
“Q-Less”
“Tapestry”
“All Good Things . . .”

4/10

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

© 2013 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Oppressive Mood Theater Continues With The Spoon-fed Reign Over Me!

The Good: Performances by the great cast, Compelling story, Use of mood
The Bad: Underdeveloped relationship between Alan and his wife, Spoonfeeds the important character elements, Lack of decent bonus features
The Basics: Despite a great start, this character-centered drama falls short when it tries to be something different and dumbs itself down for the audience.


There are a number of movies I have seen that begin with a great deal of potential only to fall flat in the middle and end. Usually, it comes from a setup that is extraordinary that ultimately falls flat. Movies that set themselves up for greatness, but then collapse away from that greatness leave me disappointed. Lately, it seems this happens most frequently with me when a movie dumbs itself down and makes what is implied more obvious. I like films that engage me and assume I am both intelligent and engaged.

The latest film to set itself up with intelligence and subtlety only to turn around and disappoint me in the latter portions is Mike Binder's Reign Over Me. What begins with promise degenerates into a film that sacrifices its potential and subtlety for explicit and obvious conflict that is nowhere near as engaging. Given the quality of the first half of the film, it is only that which keeps this from being both unwatchable and even making it to a cointoss for a "recommend/not recommend." Yes, as I begin this review, I'm not sure which way I'm falling yet.

While driving from his troubled dental practice one night, Alan Johnson sees his old college roommate, Charlie Fineman riding a Segue through the streets of New York City. Charlie, adorned with giant headphones, does not acknowledge Alan and a few weeks later when they run into one another, he does not seem to remember him. Charlie, exhibiting all of the signs of shellshock, slowly recalls Alan as his roommate and the two return to Charlie's apartment which he is in the process of redoing the kitchen of.

Soon, Alan is spending more and more time with Charlie, despite Charlie's occasional violent outbursts. This strains his marriage to his wife and she wonders why Alan is so obsessed with helping Charlie. While fighting a lawsuit from a woman who made a pass at him in his office, Alan struggles to get Charlie into counseling to deal with the trauma he is experiencing in regards to the loss of his wife and daughters.

Unfortunately, as the movie progresses, Reign Over Me becomes unsatisfied with being a struggle between one man and his sense of loss and another man's efforts to save him. It degenerates into a courtroom drama and a piece that attempts to add a dramatic tension outside the mood piece that makes it work successfully. But more than that, in its latter portion, it makes explicit the loss Charlie Fineman is experiencing and in the process, it dumbs down all that was clever about itself.

Writer and director Mike Binder, whose only other work I had seen before this was Man About Town (reviewed here!), scatters like breadcrumbs the allusions that Charlie's wife and daughters were aboard one of the planes that was hijacked and destroyed on September 11, 2001. Up until the moment that is actually spelled out for the viewer, the film is clever, smart and bold. The universal act of a survivor of the act of violence done against the nation is made as a very personal character struggle. We have not seen anything on those left behind before now and Binder starts it out as something clever and vital and heart wrenching. The moment it is made explicit and the courtroom drama that the movie descends into after that become something significantly less and it feels and views like simple, dull pandering. What was a character study is transformed into a political statement and the movie does not work on that front at all.

Reign Over Me works when it is a deeply personal story and Binder and his cast pull that off beautifully for a time. The conflict that arises from Alan and Janeane is oversimplified, but it acts as a foil to the conflict and struggles between Alan and Charlie. In other words, as Alan tries to intervene in Charlie's life and set him back on a path to normalcy, he does so at the expense of his relationship with his wife. Alan and Janeane share a very cold, rational marriage, whereas Charlie's wounds make him a very passionate - if completely dysfunctional - character. the magic of the contrast is lessened some in the latter portion of the film wherein Janeane is barely featured and the conflict between her and Alan is completely sublimated to the Charlie legal story.

Reign Over Me would be a far better movie if only it had continued with the two character struggles and worked harder to develop the two relationships that pull Alan in very different directions. Indeed, the peak of the movie is quite possibly the moment when Alan realizes that he is not happy in his marriage and that he is gaining some satisfaction out of trying to put Charlie's life back together. The consequences of that realization, though, fail to resonate when Charlie's in-laws pop back into the movie to cause him legal grief . . . for no good reason.

Reign Over Me also has decent use of music and a directoral style that Binder deserves some credit for. The film looks good and Charlie's obsession and connection to music allows for a decent soundtrack to arise from it. But more than the cinematography, it is the character depth that works, which makes it all the more disappointing when Binder surrenders to absurd plot elements to finish off the story.

Charlie's story is far too complex to be resolved through the forced conflict of the legal battle that ensues and that abrupt right turn in the movie leaves viewers with a sour taste in their mouth. Indeed, it is Charlie's complexity that leads to a mood that is dark and compelling throughout most of Reign Over Me. This is not an upper of a movie and Charlie's sullen and shell-shocked nature, combined with his occasional loud and angry outbursts, makes Reign Over Me a difficult movie to watch. That difficulty is mediated by the sense the viewer has that the film is going somewhere. Unfortunately, it gets lost along the way and when it gets lost, it gets lost in the tallest of the tall grasses.

As for the acting, much has been made of Adam Sandler's ability to perform in Reign Over Me. I assert that those who make a fuss over Sandler's performance as Charlie simply did not see his genius performance in Punch-Drunk Love (reviewed here!). In that, as in Reign Over Me, Sandler illustrates that he can be edgy, dangerous and still create a character that is not silly or stupidly crazy. Sandler's Charlie is deeply empathetic and pitiable and it is much of Sandler's work that makes him that way. Sandler - even in some of his more ridiculous comedies - has exhibited the ability to go from quiet to violently angry in the blink of an eye. So, when Charlie is provoked by difficult questions he does not want to answer, the performance Sandler gives is one that is shocking, but not when one considers the source. This is what Sandler is good at, arguably a master of.

The real acting genius in Reign Over Me comes from star Don Cheadle. Cheadle continues to impress as an actor who has great range and in this movie, he performs in a way I've not seen from him before. He easily emotes the strain in his character's marriage with minimal lines but explicit body language through the beginning of the movie. In his earliest scenes, Cheadle makes Alan seem henpecked and disinterested in the life he has through the way he moves more than anything his character says. This is almost the definition of great acting. Cheadle mirrors Sandler's ability to play a tormented character and in Reign Over Me the portrayal of lovelessness in contrast to loss of love is played out with genius by Sandler and Cheadle. Cheadle, though, provides an impossible-to-define solid quality that roots the viewer with Alan, despite his disaffected quality in his performance. It is Cheadle that makes the shaky end at all watchable with the compassion he portrays.

On DVD, Reign Over Me has remarkably few bonus features. There is a featurette on the making of the movie which is not incredible or memorable and a jam session with Sandler and Cheadle. The only other thing on the disc is a photo montage which seems somewhat pointless after watching the movie.

So, here at the end, I am left to consider the impression this left with me. Fans of drama will love the beginning; it is dark, murky and compelling. But the people to whom that appeals most will be disappointed when the film dumbs itself down in the middle and end. As a result, it's hard to recommend this for the buy.

For other films featuring Jada Pinkett Smith, please check out my reviews of:
The Women
The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix Reloaded
Princess Mononoke

6/10

For other film reviews, please check out my Movie Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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"The Q And The Grey:" Q Gets Dumbed Down, But Who Cares? Suzie Plakson's Back!

The Good: Decent acting, Fun idea
The Bad: Idea guts character(s), Unsatisfying resolution.
The Basics: In an episode that is more fun than substantive, Q returns begging Janeway to incubate his child to save the Continuum.


Perhaps the principle problem in the Star Trek universe is that, as a franchise, there are few villains in the universe that remain as menacing as they are initially characterized as being. To wit, Q, the seemingly omnipotent entity who first appeared in the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Encounter At Farpoint" (reviewed here!). He first flashes into existence powerful and badass, almost instantly whipping the crew with his limitless power. In the decent episode "Deja Q," (reviewed here!) Q is made mortal, becomes a punchline and it is a role he never recovers from. When Q first appears on Star Trek: Voyager in the second season episode "Death Wish," (reviewed here!) there is something more philosophical about him, though he maintains a strong whimsical quality. The problem is, upon his next appearance in "The Q And The Grey," the Q Continuum is pretty much gutted of any menace. In "Death Wish," the Continuum's powers are likened to advanced technology. In "The Q And The Grey," the concept is almost lowered to the idea of "Anyone can be a Q."

When Voyager witnesses a surprising number of stars going nova in a pretty tight region of space, Q suddenly appears to proposition Janeway. The Q Continuum, it appears, is in the throes of a civil war and Q's solution to the chaos and anarchy of the Continuum is to provide them with a new focus and perspective, in the form of a baby. Q propositions Janeway with the idea of mothering the child in exchange for Q returning Voyager to Federation space. Janeway rejects Q's advances and when a female Q appears, Janeway and Q rush off into the heart of the maelstrom; the war-torn Q Continuum!

The problem with "The Q And The Grey" is that it removes any menace of the Q Continuum and continues to oversimplify the concept of an omnipotent being (or beings). Far from godlike, Q is often silly in this episode and the result is more ridiculous than clever. The writers of the series once more illustrate their ethnocentrism by creating the metaphorical environment of the war-torn Q Continuum as the American Civil War. Seeing Janeway, Paris and others in Civil War outfits is fun, but it's one of the episodes where the costumes tell the story as opposed to the story forcing the costumers to adapt (the Spanish Civil War would have been a much more interesting setting). The only thing that remains consistent here is the concept from "Death Wish" that the Q Continuum is so magnificent that its true nature must be obscured and rationalized for the human mind to understand. Thus, the viewer knows Q and Janeway are not in the American Civil War, but rather this is the closest metaphor their human minds might understand.

The bigger problem is the one with the female Q and Voyager. Their ability to surprise the Continuum is a huge part of what guts the menace of the Q and makes the episode a bit of a disappointment. Of course, it's hard to be disappointed any time Suzie Plakson, K'Ehleyr from Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Reunion" appears. Plakson is memorable as the female Q and it's fun to see her brought back to the Star Trek fold after so long.

Kate Mulgrew gives a decent performance that illustrates that, more than simply being an authoritarian captain, she has a sense of comic timing. This is quite possibly the most amusing we ever see Mulgrew perform as Captain Janeway. She is funny, with a great sense of bewildered body language and she's able to perform with a wide-eyed sense of frustration that most viewers are not likely to have guessed she could do. Mulgrew's performance is actually quite funny and makes the episode worthwhile to watch.

John de Lancie (Q) returns and, sad to say, does nothing we have not seen from him before. De Lancie is Q and he's got the role down pat; this episode does not significantly add anything to the character and there is nothing special about his performance in this episode to say that he's what makes it more or less watchable.

"The Q And The Grey" works for entertainment, but it's not much more than that. Sure, it's interesting to see what happens to a society plagued by omnipotent boredom, but this episode simply proves that the Q are not omnipotent and, in fact, by the resolution to this episode, they are not menacing and not even all that interesting anymore. In short, fans of the franchise who delight over seeing Q again are likely to sober up to how this episode guts one of the initially clever villains in the franchise. "The Q And The Grey" is the nail in the coffin for the Q continuum and repeated viewings make it seem more silly.

It's hard for fans of the Star Trek franchise to sit back and accept their series (or franchise) as silly and that's a big problem for this episode. The concept is not bad, but the execution is. And Star Trek: Voyager is not so edgy as to make this a seriously desperate encounter for the crew. Q's desperation at asking Janeway to bear his child is limited, so the menace does not seem all that big of a deal. Q asks politely, if in a smarmy way. The only manifestation the crew has to worry about with the Continuum's civil war is a bunch of novas in an area of space they are leaving. Presumably, one side of another will win the war, the novas will stop or the universe will be destroyed. The problem here is that the writers are not edgy enough to raise the stakes to real character menace.

Yes, the problem with "The Q And The Grey" is that Q continues to ask politely. This is a nice, PC, PG episode that claims the universe is at state, but plays with characters that play by the nice rules. It's hard to take the extent of Q's stated desperation seriously when he continues to politely ask, harass and cajole Janeway about mating with him. Nothing justifies rape, certainly nothing from a human perspective, but with the stakes being the universe itself, one wonders why Q remains fixated so rigidly on Janeway and/or why his desperation never boils over into . . . well, actual desperation or anger.

As a result, this becomes a fun episode and is worth at least a single viewing for fans of the Star Trek franchise (and it's definitely good Star Trek: Voyager), but it doesn't truly hold up beyond being an entertaining science fiction romp.

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

For other works with Suzie Plakson, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Red Eye
Star Trek: The Next Generation - “Reunion”
Star Trek: The Next Generation - “The Emissary”
Star Trek: The Next Generation - “The Schizoid Man”

6/10

Check out how this episode stacks up against others by visiting my Star Trek Review Index Page where the episodes are ranked best to worst.

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

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The Dumbing Down Of The Q-Continuum Begins With "Death Wish"

The Good: Moments of clever conception, Interesting story idea, Good acting
The Bad: Weakens the concept of the Q, Feels like a rating's ploy
The Basics: When a new Q pops up, the old Q makes an appearance on Star Trek: Voyager that sparks a good debate, even as it weakens the Q Continuum.


It's too bad that when Jonathan Frakes appeared on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the episode "Defiant" (reviewed here!) that he was not playing Commander William Riker (instead of his doppleganger Thomas Riker). If he he had, he would have been the only actor to appear in all four modern Star Trek incarnations playing the same character. As it is, with his appearance on Star Trek: Voyager's "Death Wish," Frakes merely opened the door to further directing prospects for himself on the Star Trek spin-off. More than that, the appearance of Jonathan Frakes is more of a cameo - and a confused one at that - than anything else.

The U.S.S. Voyager is continuing its lackadaisical journey home when it encounters a comet. Inside the comet, the crew finds a life form that identifies itself as a Q, a member of the Q-Continuum. Freeing the new Q from his captivity draws the attention of the Q that once tormented the U.S.S. Enterprise and DS9 and Voyager becomes involved in a game of cat and mouse across the galaxy and through time until the futility of the chase becomes apparent and the new Q requests asylum from Janeway. Janeway feels compelled to grant the new Q an asylum hearing and the hearing reveals a strong dilemma for Janeway; she can grant the new Q asylum, which he will likely use to commit suicide or send him back to the Q-Continuum where he is likely to be imprisoned or bored for all eternity.

"Death Wish" is one of those episodes that rates higher with me when I've not seen it for a little while. There are two reasons for this: 1. The concept is strong while the execution is a bit more muddied, and 2. The week after the series finale of Star Trek: Voyager, I attended a Star Trek convention where Kate Mulgrew was approached by a fan and told her how her performance, begging the Q to reconsider the value of life, turned her away from her own thoughts of suicide. Seeing that type of effect on someone is actually pretty powerful and seeing how taken aback Kate Mulgrew was by the raw honesty of the fan was also impressive.

But the truth is, outside the life or death, suicide vs. valuing life, freedom vs. control elements of this story, it is a real downer for fans of the Star Trek franchise. "Death Wish" weakens the omnipotent Q beings far more than they already had been. The new Q likens the omnipotent nature of the Q to the appearance of godhood that technologically advanced species have over less evolved ones. He implies that the Q simply use advanced technology or abilities that are easily within the ability for humans to understand. This, unfortunately, leads to such further weakenings of the Q-Continuum and their nature as I, Q (reviewed here!) a novel penned by actor John de Lancie and Peter David which further guts the menace of the Q.

When John de Lancie first appeared on screen as Q in the Star Trek: The Next Generation series premiere "Encounter At Farpoint" (reviewed here!), he created a distinctive and menacing being who was all-knowing, all-powerful and felt he had the ability to stand in judgment of all humanity. It was an intriguing character and his instant popularity led the producers to bring him back in "Hide & Q" (reviewed here!), which is how Jonathan Frakes is brought into "Death Wish." With each outing on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Q began to lose some of his menace and his lone appearance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine had him relegated to comic relief in the most terrible and pathetic way.

With "Death Wish," the Q become an "alien of the week" that is less impressive and more petty than anyone would have imagined when they first popped onto the bridge of the Enterprise. It's a shame, but it foreshadows well the way the Borg would come to be dumbed down by the producers in later seasons.

That is not to say the episode is a total wash, far from it. One of the most intriguing elements of "Death Wish" must be the trip Janeway, Tuvok and the two Qs take into the actual Q-Continuum. Star Trek: Voyager seldom becomes so creative as to explore a realm where the only way to experience it is in metaphor. The scenes in "Death Wish" within the continuum are brilliant and creatively conceived.

As well, this is a generally well-acted and well developed episode on the character front. The new Q, who goes by Quinn late in the episode, has a compelling character journey. He is an interesting foil to the mischievous and cunning demigod who has plagued the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. In "Death Wish," the diversity within the Q is realized when Quinn reveals the effects he has had on human history and his basic . . . humanity is explored as a superpower of its own.

Moreover, despite clunky and stupid lines about women being starship captains (Janeway is not the first), John de Lancie is given a wonderful, well-conceived role as Q. Q returns and he seems more in control and less comedic than in some of the prior episodes from other shows in the franchise and it's refreshing to see him in a serious role once again, though there are the token ridiculous moments. One of the ones that is not ridiculous is when Q shows Janeway what he can do for her and it's a shame that that was not explored more. I recall feeling before this episode aired that the producers were making a mistake and that Star Trek: Voyager would have done better to have a recurring appearance by the newly godlike Wesley Crusher as opposed to bringing in Q, but "Death Wish" set some of my trepidations aside.

The new Q is played by Gerrit Graham and he offers a wonderfully different performance from John de Lancie, carrying himself with a more casual quality. While de Lancie seems constantly in control, Graham appears broken, beaten down and the way the two men play off one another is brilliant casting and acting.

But it is Kate Mulgrew who ends up stealing the episode. Mulgrew embodies all of the best qualities of a StarFleet captain when she delivers one of her monologues near the end of the episode on the value of life and the importance of actually living. Mulgrew makes Janeway's decision seem tortured and real and the resolution is satisfying and one of her better performances.

In all, this episode is likely to be enjoyed more by those coming to the episode fresh, without ideas or preconceptions from other Star Trek series'. It's remarkably accessible and a great episode for anyone who wants a great debate on the value of liberty versus control, anyone willing to debate quality of life vs. freedom. The episode is not full of easy answers and that makes it compelling.

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

For other works with Gerrit Graham, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “Captive Pursuit”
The Little Mermaid

7/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to check out my Star Trek Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Arguably One Of The Worst Recycled Star Trek Figures, The Deep Space Nine Q Flops!

The Good: Generally good coloring, Decent variety of accessories
The Bad: Obvious reused parts for figure and accessories, Accessory coloring.
The Basics: Impossible to recommend, the Q action figure is a big disappointment for fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine or Playmates action figures.


The 1995 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine action figure set from Playmates Toys was an interesting mix. On one hand, it presented new sculpts of neglected or desired characters from the television show like Jake Sisko, Rom and Nog and the Tosk (reviewed here!). But on the other hand, there were several recycled figures which were utterly disappointing, most notably the Thomas Riker and Q figures. Q, alas, was made from entirely recycled parts, so the only reason fans truly had to pick this toy up was for the collector's pog or because they were entirely a completist.

Q appeared only once on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in one of the few, desperate attempts to get the Star Trek: The Next Generation audience to follow, in the episode "Q-Less" (reviewed here!). On that episode, Q appears around the same time as Vash and he causes trouble for all concerned, including getting into a boxing match with Commander Sisko. When it came time for Playmates to release their second line of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine action figures, Q seemed to be one they threw into the mix simply because they had all of the parts available!

Basics

The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 1995 Collection of action figures contained twelve figures and it focused on recasts of the primary command crew of space station Deep Space Nine, with a few recurring guest stars and aliens fleshing out the line. Q is an omnipotent being who takes human form. Q appears in his Deep Space Nine action figure form as a simple StarFleet officer. Most collectors quickly figured out that this action figure was actually a Benjamin Sisko action figure with Q's lower arms and head from the earlier releases of the figure. In addition to action figure collectors, this toy was bought up by trading card enthusiasts because it features a SkyBox SpaceCap pog, which appealed to trading card collectors. Even that, though, was not enough to generate enthusiasm among most fans to get them to buy this toy!

The Q figure is the apparently human alien as he appeared in "Q-Less," wearing a black and red StarFleet uniform. Q is attired in his black StarFleet uniform with the red (for Command division) shoulders. The outfit is open at the collar, enough that his lilac undershirt may be seen. The outfit is colored appropriately, including the three gold rank pips on the collar of the undershirt - Q apparently demoted himself accordingly to operate around Sisko.

Standing four and seven-eighths inches tall, this is a decent likeness of Q immortalized in plastic and that is the only real saving grace of the toy. The character is molded with his right hand ready to hold most of his accessories in a half-closed position and his left making one of Picard's "make it so" gestures. His legs have a very neutral stance, so this figure stands up and looks like he is ready to be displayed, as opposed to an action pose which made some of the earlier Star Trek figures more problematic for posing in displays. Even so, Q has good balance on or off his stand (though the stand certainly helps). There is a decent level of uniform detailing, including the communicator pin on the chest being both molded into the figure and then painted on. The sculpting details reveal just how recycled this figure was; the hands have defined fingernails on the fingers, which is something the newer sculpts in this series lacked!

Q's face is molded in a neutral, slightly arrogant expression that is realistic for the character. The detailing on the figure's ears and nostrils are decent and Playmates did capture Q's likeness very well. His hair is little more than a raised portion on the head which has then been colored black; there is little texture to it.

The paint job is fair. The skin tones are monotonal white with no shading or subtlety. The figure's lips are painted an unnaturally bright pink which looks somewhat ridiculous. As well, Q's eyes are brown with white pupils, which is disturbing. Outside that, the figure looks fine.

Accessories

Q comes with five accessories, plus the SkyCap pog. Q comes with a StarFleet type II phaser, a PADD, Starfleet station monitor, Orb ark and the base. The Action base is a StarFleet delta shield symbol with the name "Q" stuck on it with a cheap, black sticker. The center of the base has a peg which fits into the hole in either of Q's feet! When Q stands flatfooted on the stand, he is stable for balance and has a decent, neutral display appearance.

The StarFleet phaser is the same Type II phaser accessory that came with many of the Star Trek: The Next Generation action figures. It is a 2 1/2" long prop which features the dustbuster-shaped beam weapon with a bright pink phaser beam emitting from it. The phaser has good molded details, down to the different buttons and a display screen, but is light on the coloring details. In addition to not having a black grip, the phaser does not have detailing on the buttons or power indicator, so it is homogeneously silver to the beam, then monotonally pink. Q's hands are molded so he may carry the weapon in either hand.

The station desktop monitor is a pretty decent accessory, but not for Q. About an inch wide and deep and tall, the desktop monitor resembles an open laptop computer. In fact, where the monitor ought to be, there is a sticker with a schematic of space station Deep Space Nine. With the hands of the figure arranged just right, Q may hold this with both hands, but it precludes using any other accessories with the figure.

The PADD accessory, Personal Access Display Device, is a 5/8" long by 3/8" wide chip of plastic which resembles the handheld computer device from Deep Space Nine fairly well. It has the controls molded into the bottom and a sticker for the display. In order to give the figure a fighting chance of holding it, Playmates made an inclined border around the bottom which allows it to fit loosely into Q's right hand.

Finally, there is the orb ark. The Tears Of The Prophets, a Bajoran relic introduced in the pilot episode, are kept in ornate boxes and the Q figure features one of these boxes. Like the monitor, it will only precariously balance in Q's grasp with both hands under it. Why Q was given this is a mystery, as his episode did not even feature one of these! This is cast like the box, down to the jewels on the sides, but it is monotonally colored in bright green plastic.

This is the unfortunate aspect of all three of Q's accessories; they are molded in an unrealistic bright green plastic which looks unlike what any of the props looked like on the show. Clearly Playmates went through some effort to sculpt the accessories realistically, but the coloring minimizes the sense of realism and clashes with the coloring of the figure. Q is over-accessorized and with the lame coloring of the accessories, it is a bit of a drawback for the overall figure.

Even so, Playmates included a pog unique to the figure from SkyBox which attracted trading card collectors to this figure in addition to toy collectors. The SpaceCap has a publicity shot of Q with a wormhole image behind him. The back has a checklist of all of the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine figures that were intended to have pogs come with them. While this is a fairly unremarkable pog, the added incentive did generate interest with card collectors.

Playability

Q was part of the mortgaging of the high level quality from Playmates. The 1995 line, in addition to having some truly uninspired sculpts, also featured some terrible recycled figures which simply popped old heads on different bodies and did not have any sense of attachment to the show. Q balances fine and he stands up well on or off his base. Q is endowed with twelve points of articulation: knees, groin socket, biceps, elbows, shoulders, neck, and waist. All of the joints, save the elbows and knees, are simple swivel joints. As a result, the neck turns left to right, but the head cannot nod. Similarly, the shoulders are not ball and socket joints and only rotate. Still, Playmates dealt with this limitation by having a swivel joint in the bicep, that allows everything below to turn and offers real decent poseability!

Moreover, for use with actual play, Q may bend or extend at the elbows, which offers a greater amount of movement potential making him one of the more realistic Star Trek action figures to play with (for those who actually play with these toys!). On his base, Q is stable enough and he may be posed fairly well for action.

Collectibility

Arguably because of the terrible use of recycled parts, Playmates made a huge loser with this Q figure. The figure was incredibly common and ended up as a pegwarmer almost everywhere. Fans of Q and John de Lancie tended to prefer the Star Trek: The Next Generation Q figures and left this one alone. In fact, it was only when Star Trek: Voyager had a guest appearance with Q wearing this uniform (more or less; his had a different communicator style at the time) that these began to move again. This figure's price remains low, often found for at or below its original issue price of $5.99.

On the plus side, Playmates tried to make the figures collectible. Each figure has an individual number on the bottom of his right foot. In the attempt to make them appear limited, they had numbers stamped on them, though one has to seriously wonder how limited something should be considered when there are at least 32000 figures out there (my Q is #031029!).

Overview

The Q figure is a particularly disturbing action figure brought down by horrible coloring accessories and entirely recycled parts. The only reason it scores so high is that it actually looks like John de Lancie as Q.

For other Star Trek: Deep Space Nine action figure reviews, please visit my takes on:
Vedek Bareil
Gul Dukat
The Hunter Of The Tosk

2.5/10

For other toy reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Less Q Results In A Dud With "Q-Less"

The Good: Ties up loose ends, Good use of ensemble
The Bad: Relying on allusions to Star Trek The Next Generation, Overdone plot
The Basics: A dud of an episode relying heavily on knowledge of Star Trek The Next Generation. Not for anyone but die-hard Trek fans.


Q is one of the Star Trek The Next Generation concept villains that was cool when the show began but somewhere along the way he got lost. It's pretty common in Star Trek The Next Generation where the writers (many of whom later went on to ruin Star Trek Voyager) will create something cool and in the terms of villains, menacing and often downright scary, and then they go and they ruin it. Q is a victim of overuse and resulting degradation. He loses his edge and goes from being supervillain to lame duck of the galaxy, loosely posing as an annoying trickster god.

The problem is, for an episode, Star Trek Deep Space Nine bought Q in. That episode is "Q-Less" and it has very little redeeming value.

The supposedly omnipotent Q appears on the station shortly after Vash, archaeologist and friend of Captain Picard (whose name is dropped throughout the episode) from the Star Trek The Next Generation episodes "Captain's Holiday" and "Q-Pid." A lot of what Jennifer Hetrick (Vash) had going for her on the earlier show was costuming. Here she becomes one of the few mistakes Deep Space Nine made. It's an adult show. So, they dressed Vash up as an adult instead of like some teenager's fantasy. It didn't help.

Vash comes aboard and flirts with Bashir and Quark and Commander Sisko is only mildly interested in the artifacts she has collected from the Gamma Quadrant until his station begins to fall apart for no reason and then Q is spotted. All of a sudden he cares because he figures Q is behind everything and he wastes no time confronting and blaming Q.

Anyone with half a brain can figure out that it is, of course, not Q's fault and that there's something more going on. And if you can't guess whose to blame, that's just sad.

The redeeming facet of this episode is the use of the whole cast. This is the first episode following the pilot that everyone plays a part and it's representative of the future of Deep Space Nine where it becomes the story of the crew as opposed to just its leader.

"Q-Less" is a lame franchise-inspired episode attempting to sell the new series to fans of Star Trek The Next Generation. Odds are, they're the only ones who will enjoy it. One of the bottom ten Star Trek Deep Space Nine episodes of all time!

[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!]

2.5/10

For other Star Trek episodes I have reviewed, please check out the index page!

© 2001, 2007, 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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So Long To The Good Old Days On This Ship! "All Good Things. . ."

The Good: Excellent special effects, Decent character work, Nice acting, Mood
The Bad: Moments of melodrama, Continuity
The Basics: When Captain Picard begins moving back and forth through time, the Enterprise crew is drawn into its final mystery Star Trek The Next Generation concludes with "All Good Things . . ."


There is always a melancholy that accompanies a series finale when the series is popular and has not gone stale when the show ends. A lot of people, it seems to me, still cling to Star Trek The Next Generation as the best work in the Star Trek franchise because it left many of them feeling good about the show and when it ended, they truly yearned for more. People who read my reviews loyally tend to know that I am more partial to Star Trek Deep Space Nine, which had an amazing run, culminating in a series finale that left everyone (character and audience) completely miserable. In short, both shows went out as they came in and with the tenor of the series. So, "All Good Things . . .", then, is a somewhat bittersweet reflection on seven years of mostly good times.

Captain Picard finds himself moving backward and forward through time to two distinct periods: one, approximately twenty years in the future where he is retired and another on the day he took command of the U.S.S. Enterprise. As he acclimates to the time jumps, he comes to realize that there is a purpose to the shifting and he soon learns from Q that the universe is going to be destroyed because of something Picard has done. Picard soon discovers a spatial anomaly in all three time periods one that he must figure out the nature of if he is to stop the destruction of humanity.

"All Good Things . . ." is decent character-driven science fiction that does not try to be anything else. That is to say that this is a science fiction story, with a heavy emphasis on the scientific premise being explored. If Star Trek The Next Generation was a story about a group of explorers, then this does seem to be a fitting send off for them, providing them with one last phenomenon to try to understand. The episode attempts to conceal the science fiction nature in moments of philosophy, but the truth is, this is science fiction. Besides, what would science fiction be without philosophy?

The effect "All Good Things . . ." has is to effectively bookend the series, by ending it with essentially the same story that began it, we may see how far the characters have come. The hope of "All Good Things . . ." then is to illustrate character growth, which it does generally well. As a result, this is an episode that will be appreciated more by fans of the show than by those tuning in on a lark.

For people who are not acquainted with or fans of the show, the trial scenes with Q - the villainous omnipotent being who started his torment of the crew back in the pilot episode - are likely to be difficult to get into. They rely heavily on the knowledge of who this adversary is and, to a large extent, how he has grown as a character throughout the seven years. However, even people watching this episode alone are likely to enjoy the humor he brings into an otherwise intensely dramatic situation.

Perhaps the most pleasant aspect of "All Good Things . . ." is the nostalgic sense it has to it. For people who have stuck with the show all seven years, it's nice to see the flashback times to what the Enterprise was like back in the first season. Sort of. The flashbacks to the past Enterprise may be technically correct, but they lack attention to detail. Things like Tasha Yar's hair are dramatically off, reminding the viewer that this is not really the past (i.e. it wasn't filmed back in the first days of the show).

Conversely, there is a weird sense of hopeful nostalgia for fans in seeing the potential future that Picard visits. Seeing what could happen to the characters, especially now in the wake of Star Trek Nemesis (reviewed here!), is a great deal of fun. The only awkward thing about it is that the relationships are played out with a sense of backstory that seems to have ended years ago (i.e. the future characters talk as if they have been apart from one another for over twenty years), yet they all seem to feel it is quite natural to come back together. This has been a problem throughout other episodes as well, most notably with Picard in references to the Stargazer (the ship he had before the Enterprise). People you are with a long time tend to be the ones you bond the most with; twenty years apart from people you only spent thirteen years with is bound to change your priorities and loyalties to them. Yet, the characters do not seem to have any such difficulties with saddling up for one more adventure together.

Essentially, this is a science fiction mystery. As a function of that, there are a wide variety of locations - from spacedock to a futuristic England to the Romulan Neutral Zone to primordial Earth - that are traveled through, making "All Good Things . . ." a visually spectacular episode. Add to that a very impressive space battle and you have all the makings of a great episode. And the space battle here is impressive, especially considering that it precedes the Star Trek Deep Space Nine war stories that pushed the boundaries of Star Trek space battles.

But what binds the episode together is the characters and it's hard to think of how Star Trek The Next Generation could have done a better, more thoughtful, sendoff for the characters as they were by this point. Picard is very much in command (Star Trek The Next Generation in the end, was Picard's show), Data is growing, Worf has so much potential, Riker has learned love may be more important than ambition, Troi has struck out on her own as an independent woman, Dr. Crusher has let others into her life and Geordi still hasn't been able to hold down a romantic relationship.

The episode is held together quite masterfully by the acting of Patrick Stewart. More than any other member of the cast, Stewart uses this last hurrah to explore the thoughtful nature of his character. Here, Stewart plays Picard once more as the poet explorer, intent on expanding the human condition, and not like some awkward warrior, as he has been presented in the films as. Stewart plays Picard with great realism as an older man and sells the audience on what could have appeared to be a cheap technique to tell the story.

All in all, this is a fitting end to Star Trek The Next Generation, leaving the series primed for the film franchise to begin. It may be enjoyed by anyone who is a fan of science fiction, but will be appreciated most by those who are fans of Star Trek The Next Generation.

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

9/10

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

© 2011, 2007, 2004 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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"Tapestry;" It's A Wonderful Picard

The Good: Clever character development, Nice acting, Good plot
The Bad: Somewhat obvious and predictable
The Basics: When Q resurrects a just-killed Picard, he gives the Captain a chance to change his past and see the consequences of his actions.


Q, probably the most impressive villain Star Trek The Next Generation maintained as a villain throughout its seven years, was a wonderful concept mostly because he had so many facets. As a result, he tended to appear, be interesting, and disappear. In "Tapestry," Q does a great job of appearing and helping Picard explore the many facets of the captain's life. However, even as he does, Q loses some of his menace and presents a story that is well told, if obvious.

When Q appears to the recently-killed Jean-Luc Picard, he gives the Captain of the Enterprise a rare opportunity, the chance to go back and change his life. Picard, as we know from the second season "Samaritan Snare" (reviewed here!), has an artificial heart from an accident he had back in his Academy days when he got into a fight with some Naussicans. Picard's death comes when his heart is destroyed by a phaser beam and Q gives Picard the opportunity to go back and see how his life would have changed had he never lost his real heart. Picard comes to realize, through seeing how much his life changed by playing it safe once, how important risk is in his life. Picard's single choice costs him his past friends, his ability to obtain his ambitions and every significant bit of his future.

Essentially, this is It's A Wonderful Life, Star Trek style. A man is given the chance to see how his life would be had something important not happened. It's a pretty old plot. Somehow, though, the writers of this Star Trek The Next Generation episode manage to make it feel new. There is not the same schmaltzy, old tyme quality to "Tapestry." Instead, the episode progresses with a feeling of gravity. Picard's instantaneous regrets are very palatable and serious; had he not been a reckless youth, he would not have died when his artificial heart melted. Given the choice between life and death, he chooses life.

This raises the questions of quality of life, though, an argument too often missing from our debates these days on life and death. "Tapestry" explores what makes a man and questions if a life lived unremarkably is worth it as opposed to an extraordinary life that ends prematurely. It's a compelling question and "Tapestry" engages the viewer fully in its attempts to answer it.

Q, always a decent villain, has a great role here and he lends a reasonable menace to the episode that allows us to believe for most of the episode that there is the chance Picard will not be able to undo the damage he does to the timeline. Q, who is more mischievous than malicious by this point in the series, may be cleverly repaying Picard for saving his life a few years ago with his lesson and it's a compelling prize.

John de Lancie infuses a sense of fun into the character of Q in "Tapestry." The actor has a sense of comic timing that is decent and here he explores it, exchanging Q's serious menace for the opportunity to mock Picard. John de Lancie presents this new facet while maintaining the character enough that he is recognizable and still somewhat villainous.

The episode is essentially about Picard, though. We see here that his maturity came at a great price and the lessons he learned as a result of learning how to moderate between impulsiveness and restraint may cost him his life. Picard, however, realizes that the cost of not risking his life in the rash action that cost him his heart would be the life he knew. Without risking his life, he never would have appreciated life at all and he would never have risen through the ranks of StarFleet and achieved greatness.

This episode hinges on the performance of Patrick Stewart. Stewart sells us on a man who is first dead, then resurrected with regrets, then willing to die to simply be the man he truly is. Stewart's power is in convincing us of the transformations he undergoes as a result of being a rash youth and then a mature adult. He plays the Lieutenant j.g. Picard with an entirely different posture that makes us believe he has been unambitious and beaten down through the years.

"Tapestry" explores expertly the nature of the consequences to our many decisions in life by showing how one event, even if it is not the most essential, can change our entire life. This is an episode that may be enjoyed by anyone, young or adult. Indeed, this episode may be appreciated by anyone, even those who do not classically enjoy science fiction as all of the pieces in this episode are adequately explained and explored. This is a character driven episode that uses more of a supernatural than a science fiction premise.

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

8.5/10

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

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

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Women Top Many Things, But Not Woman On Top!

The Good: Background actors do a good job
The Bad: Utter lack of character development, First billed actors aren't acting, Not funny
The Basics: A sad attempt at sexy and funny fails to be both instead being an insulting blend of idiotic men and women who believe fate controls them in Woman On Top.


It's supposed to be difficult for a feminist to pan a film that is pro-woman, pro-choice. I'd like to laugh at all of my fellow feminists who tout Woman On Top as a wonderful example of a feminist film. The truth is, they're full of it. Woman On Top is not a feminist film. It is not a film about the strength of a woman and the importance of her decisions; it's about how stupid men are and how most think with their genitals. The protagonist, Isabella Oliveira, does not make so many decisions revealing her inner strength as she waits for the men in her life to come to their senses and realize she's important and begin to cherish her. In fact, Woman On Top is not a feminist treatise, Penelope Cruz is not the latest feminist; this is another romantic comedy where casting was done on t,l, and a. The "l," in case you didn't guess, is "legs."

Woman On Top is a romantic comedy (I use both terms lightly) wherein Isabella Oliveira leaves Brazil and her cheating husband for San Francisco. There she finds her newly released transvestite friend, Monica, and she meets Cliff Lloyd. Cliff, in addition to being ridiculously attracted to her, gets her a job as a chef on television. So, Isabella becomes involved with a strange love triangle between herself, Cliff and Toninho, who follows her to San Francisco to declare his love.

The first thing is, they're all utterly passionless. There's no chemistry between Cliff and Isabella, even less between Isabella and her husband. Everything is oversimplified. Cliff follows Isabella as part of a mob of men who simply begin following her down the street her one of her first days in San Francisco. He's solely attracted to her body and the truth is, if you've watched more than ten american films in your life, you've seen it before. She's thin, leggy, busty enough, clear skin, you name it. It's the typical Hollywood look woman.

The men in the film, they're all idiots. In addition to being utterly dazzled by Isabella, the men are simple and driven by one thing. It's pathetic. I demand better in my characters. Cliff goes from being so dazzled by Isabella to being more focused on his career, which doesn't read right considering one of his first lines is that he hates his life and work. The only male that has a good, consistent character is Alex, played by John de Lancie. He's consistent as a television exec always out to do what will make the show float.

The only woman that gives a decent performance is Anne Ramsay as the show's director. If you've never seen her name come up in association with this film here's why: she's a bit role. She's not focused on at all. That's how far down the ladder I had to go for a good female character. The only other performance of note is Harold Perrineau Jr. as Monica. He's convincing and funny as Monica.

Woman On Top suffers as most romantic comedies do from predictability. Add to that an element of superstition that completely destroys the idea of women empowering themselves, a series of bad performances and a complete lack of character development and you have an equation for a film not worth seeing.

For other movies starring Penelope Cruz, check out my reviews of:
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
G-Force
All The Pretty Horses

1.5/10

For other movie reviews, please check out my index page on the subject by clicking here!

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

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The God I Did Not Know I Was: "True Q!"

The Good: Acting, Character, Idea
The Bad: Repetition, Resolution
The Basics: When Amanda Rogers learns she is a member of the omnipotent, omniscient Q Continuum, her world is turned upside down and she must find her own path in "True Q."


Despite a recent article in TV Guide saying what Enterprise needed to survive is a decent villain, Star Trek The Next Generation did quite well without a single threat week after week. Instead, the unpredictable, omniscient, omnipotent Q was a satisfying villain; he would appear, wreak havoc and disappear. On Star Trek The Next Generation, he was a villain that was never dumbed down, never made less powerful than he originally appeared. Whenever he showed up, there was always a threat.

In "True Q," Q arrives after a young exchange student named Amanda Rogers begins working in Sickbay. She's a quick study and she and Dr. Crusher become fast friends. When Q shows up, however, he does not let his motive slip to Picard or anyone else. Instead, he takes a keen interest in Amanda. He is soon forced to reveal, shortly after she displays the abilities, that she is a Q, she just never knew it. Q's mission; recover Amanda or kill her.

"True Q" is an ambitious idea, the concept of a god living as a man is a great one. Amanda Rogers is a wonderful choice for a child of Qs that has lived without knowing her true nature. In fact, the only flaw with this idea is that it has been done, in some form, already in the series. In "Hide And Q," only the second time Q appears, Riker is given the power of the Q and his inability to go without using it causes him to ultimately reject it. Similarly, when Amanda discovers her nature as a Q, she becomes unwilling to be a simple mortal. There is the feeling throughout the episode, by fans of the series, that this is not new territory, simply a nice window-dressing of an idea that has been done already in the series.

In "True Q," the characters are well defined and developing nicely. Amanda Rogers is sensible as a person discovering she has all sorts of powers she never knew she had. Dr. Crusher's maternal instinct kicks in here with understandable protectiveness for Amanda. And Q's appearance is lacking in humor, which is refreshing. It makes Q once more into more of a villain. It works well and in this episode, he combines being a villain with being a surrogate parent of sorts and it fits his whimsical nature well.

The acting supports the characters quite well. So, for example, Gates McFadden adds to her repertoire magnificently. With Wesley, Dr. Crusher had little cause to act maternal and Gates pulls it off quite well. Her concern over Amanda's development is very realistically put forward. Similarly, Patrick Stewart does a great job at balancing is own paternal instincts against his character's mistrust of Q and it works out well.

But, being a Q episode, the acting hinges on the Q actors. And they deliver. John de Lancie once again is mischievous and cunning in his performance of Q and he sells us on the idea of Q being desperate and in need. But it's Olivia D'Abo as Amanda Rogers who makes the episode. She makes the transition for her character from clueless to omnipotent a believable one. She sells us on the character's transformation with her wide, young eyes becoming clouded and her changes in tone and body language throughout the episode.

"True Q" is a great episode for anyone looking to be entertained by a decent character story. One does not even need to like science fiction all that much; the nature of the Q is explained in the episode as being godlike, so it is largely an episode about a woman discovering she is a god and learning to deal with that. It's an interesting dilemma and "True Q" deals with it well. While those not associated with Star Trek The Next Generation might initially be intimidated by the references to Q and what he/it represents, it all gets explained for the viewer who has patience.

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

6.5/10

See how this episode of Star Trek stacks up against others in the franchise and read the reviews associated with them by clicking here!

© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Q Tries His Hand At Romance In "Q-Pid"

The Good: Humorous, Good acting, fun, Worthwhile character development
The Bad: Upon its release, seemed exploitative
The Basics: A fun episode of Star Trek The Next Generation puts Q against the Enterprise crew in a Robin Hood fantasy. Fun for those who don't want to take Trek seriously.


Television often attempts to mirror the most successful elements of films whenever possible. One such example is how when Batman and Robin was released, The X-Files did an episode with people freezing, a la Mr. Freeze from the film. An even more obvious example was the Robin Hood episode of Star Trek The Next Generation roughly coinciding with the theatrical release of Kevin Costner's Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves. The episode is entitled "Q-Pid" and it does succeed at being more than a simple exploitation of an idea already released.

"Q-Pid" finds the stalwart crew of the Enterprise being visited by an archaeologist conference. This is a convenient chance to reunite Captain Picard with the rogue archaeologist, Vash from the episode "Captain's Holiday" (reviewed here!). Vash quickly learns that Picard did not tell anyone on board about their liaison and she's quite offended. Q uses this opportunity to appear to pay off a debt he feels he has to Picard. Picard wishes Q away, but Q decides the Captain's troubles with Vash are far more interesting, so he puts Picard and crew in Nottingham Forest in the roles of Robin Hood and his merry men. Once set into motion, Picard as Hood must rescue Vash, who has been made Maid Marion and even Q cannot predict the outcome.

The viewer, however, may easily see where this episode is going. As per usual, Q is playing tricks on the crew to teach us a valuable lesson. This time, Q's lesson is somewhat pessimistic; love, while a great and wonderful force, may be the ultimate undoer.

"Q-Pid" offers the fans of Star Trek The Next Generation a chance to see the crew in a less claustrophobic environment than usual. Out on the planet Q has selected as Nottingham, the crew has a very different energy from simple lighting to the space to move around in the full frame of the camera's eye. This is a welcome change of pace, especially following on the heels of such insular episodes as "The Nth Degree" and "Galaxy's Child."

Essentially, "Q-Pid" is a fun episode that's not terribly serious. It's not supposed to be. We get to see Worf in fantasy Renaissance costume and Geordi playing a lute. There's a particularly amusing moment as Deanna Troi attempts target practice with a bow and arrow. It's that kind of episode. As a result, when it was first put out, "Q-Pid" seemed like a silly way to exploit Robin Hood. Now, "Q-Pid" views better, as a silly, fun episode that plays comedy with more intelligence than usual and is an amusing way to get into Star Trek The Next Generation.

What endures here is the development of the characters aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. While Worf doesn't move forward wearing a silly red Renaissance outfit, Captain Picard makes a rather large leap forward in how he expressed affection to his crew. Until this point, he has been a fairly reticent man, showing the most emotion to those outside his crew, for example, his family on Earth in "Family."

"Q-Pid" opens the gates for future Picard romance stories by bringing his most casual affair back in a setting where he is unable to deny its existence. The nice thing is that Vash continues to develop as a character and her arrival on Star Trek Deep Space Nine later on becomes more reasonable. Vash is not one to be denied by Picard.

In the end, Q returns as somewhat more villainous than he did in the last outing (see "Deja Q") and in the process, allows Picard to progress from a distant, stodgy individual into someone who is far more vital and realistic.

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

6.5/10

For other Star Trek episode or movie reviews, please click here to visit my index page!

© 2011, 2007, 2003 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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