"Rise:" The Armageddon Craze Leads To A Mostly Bad Star Trek Voyager!

The Good: One conceptual moment, One character moment
The Bad: Virtually everything else.
The Basics: When Neelix and Tuvok are stuck in an elevator into space, they figure out why a planet is being bombarded with asteroids, in an unsatisfying episode of Star Trek: Voyager.


In advance of suspected summer blockbusters, television shows often try to capitalize on excitement over the big film by appealing to the same niche audience. I'll probably never forget how betrayed I felt as a fan of The X-Files when they did an episode with a man who could apparently freeze people with his touch shortly before Batman & Robin was released in theaters to capitalize on some of the excitement built up for Arnold Schwarzennegger playing Mr. Freeze. That gets me irked just thinking about it. Sadly, Star Trek: Voyager leapt onto the hype surrounding Armageddon and in the period before the film was released when asteroid collision stories were still considered fresh and new. And to be fair, with "Rise," there is something that is actually clever about the story, even if it is not enough to save this episode.

While Voyager ambles toward home, it encounters the colony world of the Nezu and responds to the plight of the Nezu colonists with a humanitarian mission. It seems their world is being bombarded with asteroids that are killing people and destroying the environment of the planet. Janeway sends Neelix and Tuvok to help the Nezu. In the process, Neelix and Tuvok's shuttlecraft is destroyed and the pair works to escape the planet in an orbital tether [think really, really, really long elevator . . . seriously].

Aboard the orbital tether, Neelix begins to suspect not all is as it seems and he begins to investigate with Tuvok. This unearths a devious plot designed to kill off the Nezu, a plot perpetrated by one of the people on board the tether . . .

First of all, "Rise" is just full of pretty ridiculous plot conceptions. First and foremost; what was Janeway thinking sending Neelix? Sure, Tuvok makes sense; the planet is essentially under attack, so it makes sense to send the security chief to check things out. And to accompany him . . . Neelix, a character with no genuine use to the ship now that it has passed beyond his range of places he had been (see "Fair Trade," reviewed here!).

Of course, the savvy viewer knows the truth; the writers and producers love pairing Neelix and Tuvok up. Despite what seemed like the ultimate Neelix/Tuvok episode with the second season's "Tuvix" (reviewed here!), the writers and producers seem determined to beat this dead horse. In short, the novelty is gone. Indeed, the most enjoyable aspect of the Neelix/Tuvok pairings that seem to come at least once a season now is not at all evident on the video or DVD; fans of the show who attended Star Trek conventions where Tim Russ (Tuvok) would be asked about the pairing miss his terse replies and his open loathing for being stuck in scenes with Ethan Phillips. Seriously; if Tim Russ has a genuine affection for Phillips that he hides beneath an air of contempt, woah is he the best actor ever! Every convention where fans ask him about working with Phillips, Russ bristles and looks uncomfortable. Ethan Phillips, for the record is a nice guy and I can't see why anyone would not want to work with him. Tim Russ seems otherwise quite nice, despite never - that I've seen or heard - speaking kindly of fellow castmate Phillips.

While this might appear to be a digression, it's not. In "Rise," Tuvok and Neelix are stuck together and this is the episode where Neelix finally gets to tell off Tuvok. Yes, the Vulcan security chief gets his comeuppance. Aboard the orbital tether, Neelix has his chance to finally declare what should have been obvious to Vulcans all along; while they are guided by logic, other beings are not. Neelix makes the decent observation that Tuvok is not unemotive, he is smug and often sarcastic. It's a moment that anyone who has ever gotten sick of famed Vulcan superiority in the Star Trek franchise will sit up and say "Hell Yea!" after. It's a nice moment for Neelix and I've never managed to ask Ethan Phillips how much of the performance was his own anger.

But, of course, the outburst comes aboard the orbital tether, which is the truly ridiculous plot conception of "Rise." Because the episode needed time to expose the cool plot twist and the predictable character element to facilitate it, Neelix and Tuvok cannot simply leave the planet. They need something to give them the appearance of leaving but not fast enough to actually get off the planet. The solution the writers came up with: the orbital tether.

The orbital tether, I wish I were joking about this, is the elevator ride from hell. This little box confines Neelix, Tuvok, and some Nezu colonists and it slowly rises from the planet along a guide wire up into the atmosphere. I suppose "Orbital tether" does sound better than "Atmospheric Elevator," but given that the two are essentially the same thing, this comes across as silly and ridiculous. This is the type of science fiction camp that makes people mock science fiction as a genre.

And honestly, there's not much more to "Rise" other than the pretty neat idea that is revealed to make the whole asteroid tie in justified. I won't ruin the surprise in case someone reading this review actually decides to watch the episode.

The problem is, outside one character outburst and a pretty nifty idea with flying rocks, the episode does not have much going for it. The pacing is way off and the time in the orbital tether feels like forever. The absence of the main crew working to solve the problem is more noticeable than usual. I'll admit, usually I'm the first to complain about an episode that does the tired a-plot, b-plot thing and possessed a boring b-plot that can't sustain itself. But in the case of "Rise," the a-plot is stretched mighty thin and it's a pretty simple idea dragged out far longer than it ought to have been.

Add to that, the episode is not exactly flush with great performances. Tim Russ portrays Tuvok with the same unflappable persona that he always does. There's nothing extraordinary about his playing Tuvok with the same stoic mannerisms as before. And in a similar vein, Ethan Phillips is playing Neelix with the same emotive core as every other episode. Sure, Neelix makes some interesting and valid points while throwing a temper tantrum, but Phillips does not add any genuine zest or nuance to the performance to differentiate it from any other Neelix moment. In short, the actor does not provide a real sense of why this outburst is coming now.

And in the larger scheme of things, any continuing conflict between Neelix and Tuvok seems forced following "Tuvix." In Tuvix, the two men shared a body and mind; when Dr. McCoy and Spock did essentially the same thing in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock, the result was a deeper sense of camaraderie and understanding in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (reviewed here!). Why a similar principle isn't at work in this case is not obvious . . . well, unless the answer is the writers of "Rise" are sloppier than the feature film writers for The Voyage Home. Yeah, it may be true, but it's not nice to say aloud.

And yet, that's the likely verdict for those who bother to watch this episode. It's drawn out, it hinges on two moments that pass by ridiculously quickly and it's a shame. For all of the major movie lame tie-ins, this one had potential, if not to be good, at least not to suck as much.

[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!]

4/10

For other Star Trek reviews, be sure to visit 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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Star Trek: Voyager Creates A Legitimately Good Episode That's Anything But A "State Of Flux!"

The Good: Decent story, Good acting, Nice resolution/serialization
The Bad: The Kazon are still crappy villains, Predictable character arcs
The Basics: When the U.S.S. Voyager discovers that technology from the ship has ended up in the hands of the Kazon-Nistrum, Chakotay and Tuvok begin an investigation that points, alternatively, to Seska and Lieutenant Carey.


Star Trek: Voyager, in its brief run up to "State Of Flux" has illustrated a terrible lack of originality. Outside the pilot episode, "Caretaker" (reviewed here!) and the introduction of the villainous Vidiians in "Phage" (reviewed here!), each episode has been more or less a compilation of other episodes from earlier in the Star Trek franchise. As a result, Star Trek: Voyager is often seen by fans of the franchise as remarkably derivative and more or less disappointing. With "State Of Flux," the show utilizes elements from previous outings in the franchise, yet still makes the elements feel new and different, making it one of the better episodes of season one.

When the U.S.S. Voyager encounters a disaster in the form of a Kazon ship that includes crewmembers fused into bulkheads, Janeway and Chakotay soon realize there is a traitor on board the starship. The Kazon do not have transporter technology, yet it appears they have a crude version of it which killed a whole bunch of Kazon. Chakotay and Tuvok begin to investigate the Engineering crew to find who might have exported StarFleet technology to the Kazon and their search soon points in the direction of Seska, who also happens to be Chakotay's former lover. The pair set a trap for Seska, which sets off a chain of events that threaten the starship Voyager on its way home . . .

Introduced in "Caretaker" as a thirty group of water-poor, technologically backwards pirates with bad hygiene and an unstable government, the Kazon are easily one of the bottom three recurring villains in the Star Trek franchise. The Kazon are, quite simply, lame in the popular sense and their make-up is less than inspired. What makes the alien race known as the Kazon? Giant hair. Seriously. Viewed on the DVDs in beautiful digital clarity, it is never more clear that the gigantic, rocky mass atop the heads of the Kazon is just big hair. While this might be original in the Star Trek franchise, it's just silly and pathetic to define an alien race.

Equally frustrating for fans of the Star Trek franchise is the plot. The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Drumhead" (reviewed here!) begins almost identically to "State Of Flux" and the resolution is straight out of "Data's Day" (reviewed here!). Sadly, the writers and producers seem to not have much originality and the espionage aspect with a recurring character is handled much better on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine with the twist involving Michael Eddington in "For The Cause" (reviewed here!). The important difference here is that Star Trek: Deep Space Nine took the time to develop a character and the betrayal became a very big, important psych-out to the audience that was rather effective. With the potential duplicity of Seska, the audience is less surprised. She has only popped up a few times and she's been mean and angry every time she has.

Beyond that, the only real problem with "State Of Flux" is that it marks the beginning of the dumbing down of Commander Chakotay. Chakotay is a decent officer and a leader of men up until this point. Early in the series, he stands up to Captain Janeway and declares that he will not be a token. He will not be a token Maquis and he will not simply be her symbolic first officer. The problem here is that with the character of Seska being introduced as a potential traitor and former love-interest of Chakotay's, the decline of Chakotay's strength of character begins to decline. While this is a gradual process, by the end of the second season, the writers will be virtually tapped out on where to go with Chakotay and the astute scholar of Trek will trace the degradation back to this episode.

That said, in this episode, Chakotay is vigorous and engaging. Teamed with Tuvok, he becomes both a leader determined to keep a clean house and a vigilant detective keen to prevent the U.S.S. Voyager from coming to harm. His insight and determination to make a fair exploration of how Voyager's technology ended up in the hands of the Kazon is a compelling character choice and it makes for entertaining viewing. Tuvok is simply Tuvok, doing what any security officer in his place should do.

Seska here begins a multi-episode arc that is interesting and engaging enough. From earlier episodes, she has distinguished herself as a particularly angry Bajoran who wants nothing more than to return to the Alpha Quadrant to go back to fighting the Maquis fight in the demilitarized zone. Here she expands that anger with a sense of desperation that is fairly compelling.

Seska is played by actress Martha Hackett and she plays the role well. Hackett has a very physical sense to her that connotes anger and eyes that are wonderfully snakelike in this piece. In tender moments with Chakotay, she softens beautifully and the viewer is very able to see why he might have been attracted to her. Hackett makes the role.

This is also one of the best performances Robert Beltran gives as Chakotay. Sure, that's not saying much because the actor soon becomes terribly neglected, but it does speak to his acting ability that when he is given a script, he's able to rise to the occasion.

"State Of Flux" may well be a better episode for non-fans of the Star Trek franchise than for those who are familiar with the other incarnations of Star Trek. Indeed, if one is only watching Star Trek: Voyager, the show probably seems terribly original and "State Of Flux" is a good espionage story. In fact, all a non-fan would need to know to get right into this episode is that the Federation refuses to sell or give technology to races that do not have technology that could potentially alter the balance of power in any given area. Therefore, the fact that transporter technology has found its way to one sect of the Kazon represents a dangerous betrayal to Captain Janeway and a very real threat to the U.S.S. Voyager.

Regardless, the episode is all about tracking down who in the crew had access, motive, and ability to sell out the secrets of the starship to an enemy that is arguably lame, but made more of a threat by it. Too bad Janeway did not offer to give them hairbrushes. But then, I suppose that would be wrong, too.

[Knowing that the season is a much better investment, it's worth looking into Star Trek: Voyager - The Complete First Season on DVD, which provides the full opening to the series. Read my review of the premiere season by clicking here!
Thanks!]

7/10

Check out how this episode stacks up against others in the Star Trek franchise by visiting my specialized Star Trek Review Index Page!

© 2012, 2007 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Playing In The Shadows Of Deep Space Nine: "Shadowplay"

The Good: Feeling of transition, Acting, Character development
The Bad: Pacing, Thematically heavyhanded
The Basics: A surprisingly good episode, "Shadowplay" is in the essential DS9 as a mystery that may be appreciated by most fans of television.


Every now and then in a series, there's an episode that evades the Top Ten lists and the attention of those who market the show. Usually, it's an episode that is substandard. Thus, it's a mystery to me as to why "Shadowplay" is constantly overlooked by fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

"Shadowplay" is a fine little episode that is a necessary evil episode, though it doesn't feel like one. By a necessary evil episode, I refer to any episode that is needed to progress plot and character to a point that it needs to get to, while taking up time. That is, it fills up space, usually. In this case, it does more than that. "Shadowplay" is a neat addition to the essential Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

In a rare three thread arc, the episode focuses on: Odo and Dax exploring a planet with a village of colonists who keep disappearing. As they try to figure out why the people are disappearing, they discover that all is not as it seems and the inhabitants of the colony aren't who they thought they were. That is, they are not the simple folk Dax and Odo assume them to be.

In the first sub-plot, Quark attempts to smuggle aboard artifacts using his cousin. Thwarting him is Major Kira. That is, until Vedek Bareil arrives on the station. Last seen in "The Siege," (reviewed here!) Bareil comes to lecture at the shrine, but more to see Kira and explore his feelings for her.

In the second sub plot, Jake Sisko gets a job. His first job is working with Chief O'Brien as an engineering assistant. In the course of the episode, Jake admits what StarFleet isn't for him and he works up the moxy to tell his father the same.

What works well is the level of character. It seems all of the characters are learning and growing in this episode. It's the first time we see Kira romantically involved, Jake makes an important life move and Odo displays a level of caring we've not seen before in him. It's clear he cares about his work, but here we see he also cares about people. In the course of the episode, Odo develops an emotional bond with Tea, a little girl who shows knowledge of Changelings, Odo's people.

I'm not terribly impressed by child actors/actresses usually. The little girl who plays Tea is impressive. Nana Visitor and Philip Anglim (who play Kira and Bareil, respectively) have real chemistry on screen. Rene Auberjonois give his usual excellent performance as Odo. All of the characters are vibrant and interesting, pieces of them are from the acting. Even Cirroc Lofton, who plays Jake, is hitting his stride better than usual in this episode.

So, what's not to like about this episode? Well, there are moments where it does feel like a "filler," as if the producers had arced out the entire season and had one episode more to fill up. The Quark part of the Kira plot seems contrived, the Jake plot is minimized. The Odo plot, is significant enough and it is enjoyable. That plot lends itself to recommending to those who aren't - classically - fans of DS9. It's a mystery that is contained in the episode.

Largely, however, this episode is more accessible to fans of the series. This is a clear episode of character movement. Odo, Kira and Jake are growing here. I include it in the essential DS9 because of Odo and Kira's arcs, as well as the mention of the Dominion. Plenty to enjoy.

[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!]


7.5/10

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

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


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A Galaxy Full Of Soong-Type Androids Are Revealed Through “Inheritance”

The Good: Acting, Character
The Bad: Plot, Larger Continuity issues
The Basics: When Data's long lost mother appears on the Enterprise, Data is suspicious of her true nature.


One of the problems with Star Trek The Next Generation's final season was the increased emphasis on family. Back in "Interface" (reviewed here!) we finally see Geordi's and we fail to care and in "Dark Page" (reviewed here!), Lwaxana Troi finally becomes an emotive character we care about. The problem with the emphasis on family was not with family itself, but rather the convoluted and improbable ways family just suddenly came up all at once on the show. This contrasts with something like Star Trek Deep Space Nine where the final season reveals Sisko's improbable origins, though the viewer is able to make the leap because of all that has happened in the six preceding seasons. It's not so easy on Star Trek The Next Generation, and "Inheritance" is a perfect example of that.

"Inheritance" finds the crew of the Enterprise taking on Dr. Juliana Tainer, a scientist who soon reveals that she is the ex-wife of Dr. Noonian Soong, the man who designed and built Data. As we saw back in the second season's "The Schizoid Man," it appears to have been more of a team effort as Tainer is able to tell Data a bit about his childhood that he never knew. Data is somewhat suspicious of his "mother" and when the two are trapped in a cave-in, his theory is put to the test and he is able to reveal that Tainer is another Soong-type android. Data finds himself in the middle of an ethical dilemma, however, as Tainer is unaware of her status as android.

The real problem with "Inheritance" is not with either the acting or the character work, but rather with the plot. It seems inconceivable considering how many things go wrong in a year on Star Trek The Next Generation that Dr. Tainer could have lasted thirty years out on her own without anyone ever discovering she was an android. That idea seems improbable.

It is complicated by the idea that Dr. Soong's work appears to be less and less unique. In the first season, we met Lore (who was deactivated back in "Descent, Part II"), in the third Data built his own Soong-type android, and in the fourth season, Data met Dr. Soong. It's hard to believe that in "Brothers," Dr. Soong would not have mentioned to Data either his potential to grow to the point of dreaming (which Data did in "The Birthright") or that Data had more family out there, like Tainer or Star Trek Nemesis’ B-4. The writers are asking us to accept more and more that Dr. Soong managed to finesse and perfect increasingly complicated androids without ever drawing the attention of the scientific community. Please!

Beyond that, "Inheritance" works and it works well. Data's supposition of Tainer's true nature makes sense given his own observational skills. Moreover, the director of the episode makes sure that the viewer knows that Data is thinking something is amiss well in advance through the use of clever camera pans and subtle eye motions. Throughout the beginning of the episode, we see Data observing Dr. Tainer closely, making his nonchalance to her nature unsurprising, especially upon repeated viewings.

Dr. Tainer is played by Fionnula Flannagan and she does an admirable job portraying an android who believes herself organic. Flannagan is emotive, yet subtly off, allowing the viewer the barest foreshadowing to her character's true nature. It's a fine balancing act and she does it exceptionally well, never being too overt with it.

Brent Spiner, for his part, does an excellent job playing Data. In yet another situation that would seem to resonate emotionally, Spiner maintains Data as a dispassionate, unemotive character and he manages to keep the emphasis rightly on the ethical dilemma Data is trapped in as opposed to allowing the show to become a cheap soap opera type piece. Spiner deserves a lot of credit for keeping this episode focused.

In the end, despite the larger continuity difficulties, "Inheritance" is a fun episode that allows the fans of Star Trek The Next Generation to explore Data's history further. While mostly for those who had been watching the series for the preceding years, "Inheritance" may be enjoyed by anyone who likes a good, if weird, family mystery.

[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!]

6/10

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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Undercover Into Darkness: "Chain Of Command, Part 1" Is A Dangerous Setup Episode!

The Good: Character, Plot, Acting, Mood, Make-up
The Bad: Feels like a setup episode
The Basics: When Picard is replaced with a more belligerent captain, the Enterprise is put in serious jeopardy in "Chain Of Command, Part 1."


Sometimes, the most fault one may find in a television episode is that it feels like it is setting itself up for a cliffhanger, the sense we get throughout the episode that the words "To Be Continued" will appear in the last frame of the episode. Once Star Trek The Next Generation began doing cliffhangers with the third season finale "The Best Of Both Worlds" (reviewed here!), they never seemed to try to disguise their setup episodes. Usually, that was fine; occasionally it was a severe let down as the first part set an episode up so well that the second part could not hope to match its quality. Such is not the case with "Chain Of Command, Part I." It feels like a setup episode, but we forgive it because of the quality of the episode.

"Chain Of Command" finds Admiral Necheyev arriving on the Enterprise to relieve Picard of command of the ship. The Enterprise is turned over to Captain Edward Jellico while Picard, Worf and Dr. Crusher train for an undercover operation. Jellico immediately takes control with a very different style from Picard. He has a certain order he wants and he wants things immediately and his way. As the crew struggles to adapt to his demanding command style, Picard finds himself taxed for his new mission. When Picard leaves the Enterprise, Jellico immediately gets into a conflict with the Cardassians and Picard finally reveals their mission to his team.

What works perfectly in "Chain Of Command" is the acting and the character. Picard and Jellico are two very different men and they clash instantly. As a result, it seems very natural that the Enterprise crew would fail to get along well with him. Riker and Geordi meet with the most difficulty when interfacing with him and this, too, is natural given that they are the two officers - at least with emotions - Picard relies upon most. Jellico, for his part, is not a bad man or a particularly bad captain; he's just very different from Picard.

Jellico is played by Ronnie Cox and Cox has a presence to him that is commanding and yet we can find it believable that his character is also a father. Cox sells us on Jellico as a man who is probably quite good at what he does once he sets in, but keeping his body language casual, but his orders and rule of law very strict, he makes us believe there is more to this character than we actually see. In one of the episode's final scenes, Cox plays a scene with moral ambiguity perfectly, making us wonder which side Jellico is truly on.

Jellico is, in some ways, a character that is easier to sympathize with than some would like to admit. He is a man besieged on all sides. When he's not getting flack from Riker or Geordi or being preached at by Troi, he is being threatened by the Cardassian Gul Lemec. Lemec is a decent villain and as Picard and his team infiltrate a Cardassian outpost on Celtris III, his menace as a character grows.

The real acting kudos has to be given to Patrick Stewart. While Jonathan Frakes and Levar Burton explore the whinier sides of their characters, Stewart is stretching himself in the most physical role he will take on in the series. Stewart sells us on Picard being a running, fighting, repelling action hero type during the undercover mission. Part of making that plausible is the exhaustion he reveals while training for the mission and Stewart does a great job in both halves.

"Chain Of Command" does pretty much everything right, keeping a taunt 45 minutes wherein we wonder what will happen with the Enterprise going into a political hot spot against the Cardassians with a new captain and with the Captain's covert mission to a distant world. It's enough to keep anyone who likes good action-adventure, political intrigue stories on the edge of their seats for the entire time. And it works as a setup episode, even if they don't revisit the menacing moment Jellico and Necheyev have near the end.

[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!]

9/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here for an organized listing!

© 2011, 2008, 2003 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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Androgynous Metaphors For Homosexuality Work In "The Outcast!"

The Good: Generally positive message, Good character, Interesting enough plot.
The Bad: Ending is a downer in relation to the social message (not bold enough), Nothing superlative on the acting front.
The Basics: Despite some lackluster acting and a disturbing counter message, "The Outcast" is an attempt to make arguments for gay and lesbian civil rights on television.


One of the common themes in Star Trek The Next Generation was hiding current social issues in the guise of the futuristic setting. In this way, the series was able to get away with discussing some of the more touchy issues of the time, much the same way Star Trek made comments on the Vietnam war. While Star Trek Deep Space Nine would openly confront issues of sexuality, its predecessor slyly attempted a gay rights themed episode in "The Outcast."

The Enterprise arrives at the home planet of the J'Nai, a race of androgynous beings under the pretense of aiding the J'Nai in locating a lost shuttle. While the Enterprise discovers pockets of null space that might be housing the lost vehicle, Commander Riker begins to work closely with a J'Nai named Soren. After a period, Soren reveals that some of the androgynous J'Nai occasionally have gender-related feelings. These outcasts are "reprogrammed" and sent back into society as androgynous once again. Soren admits she has feelings of being female and Soren and Riker begin a relationship. Once the taboo affair is exposed, Soren is taken in for reprogramming and Riker must face losing his new partner.

This episode works well enough as a character work with Commander Riker having one of his more meaningful relationships in the series. Here, Riker finds himself so drawn to Soren that he actually discusses his relationship with her with Troi. This represents a bold step of commitment for Riker and it enhances the believability of the episode.

In the end, the piece is about Soren, though. It is about her struggle with gender identity issues. It does not take long for the phrases she is using to resonate with those of us who do have genders; the androgynous person experiencing gender ideas is a thin metaphor for the homosexual identity struggles of modern times. The episode is courageous enough to present the viewpoints of the frightened and socially oppressed, the sexually confused and the sexually empowered. In the end, "The Outcast" is about standing up for what's right; the freedom of self-expression and self-determination that those of us in the United States have come to cherish and take for granted.

The problem is that the message becomes too obvious. The episode stops being about a different culture or about a romance, but it becomes about an issue. At that point, the episode becomes preachy and rigid in its pursuit of a thesis. The latter parts of "The Outcast" seem like a rally as opposed to an organic experience set up from the beginning.

Melinda Culea, who plays Soren, does a fair job playing the alien of the week. It's not a spectacular performance by any means. Indeed, it is her lack of convincing androgyny in the beginning of the episode that instantly suggests to the viewer when the topic comes up of people with gendered feelings that she is one of those people. It's impossible to describe more succinctly than that. Even more than the amount of airtime, it's Culea's acting which fails to persuade us from the beginning that she's not a female.

Similarly, Jonathan Frakes does an adequate job of portraying Riker getting into a serious relationship. But we've seen him have deep attachments before ("The Vengeance Factor" comes instantly to mind) and there's nothing in his performance - that is outside the written lines - to convince us that this is more than one of his casual relationships (like in the earlier episode "Silicon Avatar").

The episode's conclusion, wherein Soren is taken for reprogramming, was no doubt intended to be a creepy, surprise ending. In a rare move, I am ruining the "surprise" because it bears discussing. If the purpose of "The Outcast" is to give a voice to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc. rights movement in the United States, then Soren's successful "reprogramming" in the end seems to undercut all of that. It endorses the archaic and ridiculous notion of "straightening" the homosexuals and it's beneath the rest of the argument made in the episode. It defeats much of the purpose of the episode. Indeed, it undercuts all of the good arguments and worthwhile aspects of the episode.

In the end, though, they try and that's more than most television out there. In the final analysis, I decided to recommend "The Outcast" because it has a decent message and Soren's "reprogramming" is treated as morally reprehensible (though it works) and in this day in age, any positive message embracing diversity ought to be embraced. It won't be until Star Trek Deep Space Nine's episode "Rejoined," though, that the argument is made better.

[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!]

7/10

For other Star Trek episode reviews, please check out this link to visit my index page on the subject!

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


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Sons Return In "New Ground!"

The Good: Good character development
The Bad: Nothing stellar in the acting department, Lack of plot.
The Basics: When Alexander returns to the Enterprise, Worf finds his presence distracting and his child a nuisance.

One of the best developments for the characters on Star Trek The Next Generation was the infusing of consequences. The best example of this is in the character of Worf. Worf had a liaison in the second season, learned he had a son in the fourth season and now in the fifth season, Alexander returns. The writers of Star Trek The Next Generation would not let Worf up off the mat and it made the series better.

The episode is called "New Ground" and it opens with Worf's foster mom arriving to deliver Alexander to the Enterprise. Citing being too old to raise a child, Helena leaves Alexander with Worf and heads back to Earth. Worf soon finds Alexander acting out and being generally disruptive on the Enterprise. He openly contradicts Worf and the child's rebellious streak encourages Worf to send the boy away. When the Enterprise becomes part of an experiment that goes awry, Worf must decide what is truly important to him.

Alexander is played by Brian Bonsall in this episode and he becomes Alexander for the remainder of the series. Bonsall is a young actor and he fits in fine portraying the young Klingon who does not care about Klingon culture. Bonsall realistically plays a confused, young rebellious child and he makes us believe that Alexander is just a kid desiring his father's attention. Brian Bonsall was a good choice for the role. It's tough to cast a young actor, but Bonsall made the part work.

The other actor to note is Michael Dorn. Dorn plays Worf and he plays Worf as confused and angry here.

The problem is, Dorn doesn't do anything extraordinary here. Dorn had played Worf as frustrated and angry and confused in the past. We've seen him stretch in this direction and he doesn't push the envelope on what he can do here. Instead, it feels like Dorn has been here and he's simply filling in Worf as opposed to trying to make him grow.

Despite the lack of real acting talent in "New Ground," the characters come together and have some sense of movement to them. There is a very understandable and natural character progression that Worf undergoes in this episode and when the end comes, we feel justified in its end, we understand how and why it got where it did on the character front. Moreover, Alexander's discontent is an excellent idea and it is refreshing to see that this is not the only time it will come up. The essential center of Alexander will be his need for his father's attention and the disappointment in being abandoned by him.

The special effect of the Soliton Wave, the experiment the Enterprise becomes involved with, is a cool effect that looks good. It's a disappointing aspect of the series that the idea was never brought back.

In the end, "New Ground" is impossible to recommend to those who are not fans of "Star Trek The Next Generation." The episode, taken out of context, is simply about a bratty little boy who is reunited with his emotionally distant, insensitive father. Who wants to watch that? The science fiction context is largely neglected for a family drama that seems almost absurd.

Also difficult to recommend to fans of the series, "New Ground" fails to leave a lasting impression other than the simple knowledge that Alexander will be around for future episodes and that he and Worf have a lot of work to do as a family. Essentially, that's all the episode does and as a fan of Star Trek The Next Generation, I want more. When I want compelling family dramas, I watch Once And Again (season one reviewed here!). At least that series satisfied the "compelling." "New Ground" does not.

[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!]

4/10

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

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



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The Yearly Tribute To Tasha Yar In Season Four Is "Legacy!"

The Good: Interesting story, Good acting, Competent character work
The Bad: Nothing beyond the obsession with a minor character and the limitations of episodic television.
The Basics: A fun enough episode, "Legacy" remembers Tasha Yar by introducing her sister and letting the crew have an adventure with her without bogging it down for non-fans.


Since her death in the first season, Tasha Yar has elicited more attention than any other character on Star Trek The Next Generation. By season four, one might figure that she was such a minor character that she would have been forgotten and we could all get on with our lives. Alas, the writers and producers of Star Trek The Next Generation would not let her rest. The season four tribute to the fallen officer is entitled "Legacy."

"Legacy" finds the Enterprise coming to the rescue of an escape pod that is in orbit of Tasha's home colony. There, the colonists have gone from complete anarchy to gang warfare underneath the remaining city. Unfortunately, the starship arrives too late and the pod crashes and its occupants are captured and held hostage. Then, one of the cadres hails the Enterprise and informs them they may be able to help in their problem. They assign a liaison to the Enterprise: Ishara Yar, Tasha's sister. Ishara boards the Enterprise and strategizes with its officers, leading them on a mission underground where she earns their trust. With Ishara's help, the officers are able to penetrate deeper and gain access to the trapped citizens. But, of course, Ishara is not all she seems.

"Legacy" works, when it does, on the acting of Beth Toussaint, who plays Ishara. Toussant makes Ishara both curious and confused and the unfortunate aspect of her performance is occasionally, it is unclear whether it is the character or the actress who is confused. In a scene with Data, for example, Toussaint stumbles over lines that are intended to be emotive and heavy and instead they come out as clumsy. She more than makes up for it in body language and in Ishara, we get the first in a string of Star Trek characters in a catsuit. Bully for the costuming department!

But the regular characters here suffer as a result of Ishara's presence. Data is unusually gullible, Worf lowers his suspicion and Riker . . . well, Riker is just Riker. Picard is, fortunately, guarded and cautious throughout. But the loss of Tasha years ago here affects the characters and their work and in the end, their development - or lack thereof - is not bad.

The acting of the regulars is fine as well. Brent Spiner plays Data with that strange emotive emotionlessness that he is beginning to get down. That is, he has the ability to say he's not emotional, yet do actions that are the result of great caring. By this point in the series, this dispassionate emotionalism is becoming Data's staple.

Jonathan Frakes does fine as Riker, as well. Opening the episode with a prankster gleam in his eyes, ending it with a sad truth. He plays the paradigm quite well.

In fact, the only real disappointment of the episode is in its necessary form. Because we know this is a one hour show and the characters are all struggling for airtime already, the intelligent viewer will know that Ishara is not going to stick around and thus it is predictable that she has some character flaw to keep from us.

On the plus side, the episode is accessible to all. Despite the allusions to Tasha Yar and her death, all avenues are covered in the episode. This makes for a very easy episode for non-fans of Star Trek The Next Generation to watch. In fact, it's pretty much the run through the halls, shoot them up action one might want for a rainy Sunday. There are several gun battles and tense chases through the underground mazes on the colony. The episode does not resurface the Geordi/Data tension over Tasha Yar. Instead, it's much more straightforward: woman comes, woman fights beside the crew, woman leaves. It just so happens she's the sister of someone who did it before.

[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!]

5.5/10

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

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.



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And The Menacing Peach Pit Gets A Friend In "Tin Man!"

The Good: Nice special effects, Good acting
The Bad: No real plot, No character development to speak of
The Basics: A poor episode of the season finds the Enterprise crew and one of Troi's former patients trying to keep a giant peach pit from the Romulans.


Even a very good season of a great television show has its low moments. In the third season of Star Trek The Next Generation, one of those moments is a little episode called "Tin Man." Coming near the end of the season, "Tin Man" has the feeling that the writers simply ran out of new and different ideas and just churned something out to fill a slot in the schedule.

"Tin Man" finds us in the obvious position of meeting one of Deanna Troi's former patients. Come on, you knew she had patients before she came aboard the Enterprise, so this was somewhat inevitable. The shock of meeting a former patient wears off almost as quickly as the challenge of the week simply being a matriarchal society (see my "Angel One" review here!). Troi's former patient is a Betazoid named Tam Elbrum, a man with powerful telepathic abilities. He is assigned to help the Enterprise communicate with a strange space ship lost in the Romulan Neutral Zone. "Tin Man," as the creature is called by StarFleet, turns out to be a life form and if it were to fall into Romulan hands, it could be disastrous. What follows then is the Enterprise as it pursues Tin Man while being hounded by Romulan ships and a crew that doubts the person who is guiding the ship (Elbrum).

Outside the sound effects and musical editing, there is little to recommend this episode. The music is wonderful, creating an interior sound to Gomtuu ("Tin Man's" name for itself) that is unique and well defined. The sound effects help to create a new life form and this is an excellent example of doing that well.

Especially when one considers that Gomtuu is basically a giant peach pit. It's one of the more clever aliens of the week, as far as design goes. Seriously, the effects department modeled Gomtuu off a peach pit with some interior lighting and they actually pull the effect off as something truly different and intriguing.

But the episode stagnates, and hard, when it comes to plot and character development. The plot is so simple it's amazing that the writers believed it to be worth a full hour episode. The Enterprise encounters Gomtuu and Romulan ships. It appears they encounter one Romulan ship too early because they have to encounter a second ship before the episode is over. Sigh. At least the Romulans keep popping up.

Character development is almost nonexistent. Tam bounces between Counselor Troi who dispenses her usual psychobabble and Data, who Tam takes joy in being around because he can't read the android's mind. This is a pattern that gets quite old by the time the episode is over and it doesn't take long for the viewer to realize that all of the internal scenes are going to have Tam being disbelieved, he goes whining to Troi, then ends up with Data for solace. I'm tired of writing about it already!

The only thing that saves it from a complete bomb is that the actors are truly trying with the script. Brent Spiner reverts Data to a more thoroughly dispassionate presence that works opposite the emotive Tam. Given recent developments with Data (i.e. "The Offspring," reviewed here!) it's clearly the actor working to change the character's facade. And Sirtis gives her best shot as Troi as professional, but the script is lacking and many of her lines sound canned here.

There's nothing here for the non-fan of Star Trek The Next Generation. This is pretty much the "alien of the week" special and it's not terribly well done. Far better would be "Q-Who?" or "The Survivors" for someone looking for a quality alien escape. There's not much to recommend to fans, either; we've seen this one before, but it's almost always been better.

[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!]

4.5/10

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

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




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"Again With The Romulans!" "The Defector" Keeps Tensions Along The Neutral Zone High!

The Good: Well acted, Good plot, Interesting Characters, Well paced.
The Bad: Pointless Special Effects Shots
The Basics: A surprisingly good episode, "The Defector" puts the Enterprise on the hunt for a secret Romulan base courtesy of a Romulan dissident.


Star Trek The Next Generation seemed to hit its stride once it got over the philosophy browbeating and did some continuing stories. There's a whole arc with Data and Soong-type androids, there's Worf's relationships with Klingons. And there's the adversary the Romulans, who return again throughout the third season. "The Defector" is an episode best appreciated by fans of Star Trek The Next Generation as it relies on the viewer having seen the earlier episode "The Enemy" (reviewed here!).

"The Defector" is a seemingly straightforward episode wherein a Romulan officer leaves the Romulan Empire and flees to the Enterprise. Following an interrogation by Riker and a humane conversation with Data, the Romulan reveals his identity, not as a low ranking officer, but as Admiral Jarok, an important Romulan military strategist. His defection is suddenly a profound thing and the Romulans want him back. Jarok's defection revolves around a secret cloaked Romulan base supposedly being built on a planet in the Neutral Zone, an act of war by Treaty standards. But, as things seldom are, there's more than meets the eye and the appearance of Commander Tomalak implies a Romulan trap.

"The Defector" has a lot of layers to it and rightly so. This is an episode of political intrigue and stories of intrigue seldom work unless there are several things going on. The nice thing about the convoluted plot (Jarok begins the episode with an assumed name and limited importance, for example) is that it keeps the focus effectively divided so that no single plot becomes tedious. So, for example, scenes where Data provides Jarok with holodeck simulations of Romulan skies, the scene reaches its conclusion before it bores us. Similarly, Jarok doesn't spend oodles of time boring us with his family sob story, instead it is mentioned, we see its effect on the character, then the episode moves on.

What makes the episode work is Jarok, played by James Sloyan. Sloyan is one of the unsung heroes of the Star Trek Universe, appearing here as a Romulan, later on Star Trek Deep Space Nine as Odo's "father" Dr. Mora, and Jetrel on Star Trek Voyager. Sloyan has a unique way of using his voice and body language to convince the viewer of his authenticity as whatever alien he is playing this week. He has distinct personality which he uses to add to the dramatic characters he portrays. In "The Defector" he breathes life into Jarok when the Romulan Admiral seems pretty standard in the text of the episode. Here the actor aids greatly in the creation of the character.

And the other actors seem to respond to that here. Patrick Stewart and Andreas Katsulas seem to take almost supporting roles to Sloyan. The three work well off each other, creating a dynamic between Picard, Jarok and Tomalak that has real vibrancy and aids in the pace of the episode.

What does "The Defector" have for the non-fan of Star Trek The Next Generation? Well, it's a story of political intrigue and thus, anyone interested in the mechanics of spies and turncoats will enjoy this piece. But the truth is, it's interesting to fans more because the Romulans are such good adversaries. Knowing the players in the elaborate Star Trek universe, the magnitude of a Romulan defection is often lost on non-fans. The Romulans have an orderly society with honor as a cultural value. Defections are truly astounding. Unless you've watched the four hours of Romulan episodes that precede "The Defector" (two of those hours being in the original Star Trek series).

Regardless of that, this is an episode with wonderful characters who are confronting serious political problems. "The Defector" is an excellent study of the nature of political dissidents and the length and motivations of those who seek to preserve their society by confronting their government.

[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 or film reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

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



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Fantasies For Those Growing Up On Science Fiction: "The Price" Entertains!

The Good: Good character development, Good acting, Interesting plot, Well-placed
The Bad: Juvenile dialog
The Basics: "The Price" is a fun episode of Star Trek The Next Generation that basically has Troi having a lot of sex and teenage boys drooling.


As Riker's character on Star Trek The Next Generation declined, other characters rushed to fill the gap. Data and Worf picked up most of the slack following Riker's snap into obsolescence following "The Icarus Factor." Counselor Troi, here, benefits as well by having an episode that attempts to be many things, but ends up being the ultimate Troi episode.

"The Price" finds the Federation, Crysalians, and Caldonians bidding over the Barzan wormhole, an apparently stable spatial phenomenon that would allow ships to pass from the Alpha Quadrant into the distant Delta Quadrant in a matter of seconds. While Data and Geordi do a scientific survey to be sure of the stability, with a newly arrived Ferengi ship, Counselor Troi encounters Devonani, the bidder for the Crysalians. She finds herself attracted to him and their love story becomes one of the sexiest episodes of Star Trek The Next Generation ever. After several romps, Troi realizes Devonani has a secret . . .

I'm not going to tell you what the secret is, so there.

Needless to say, the latter half of the episode balances commerce, Troi's ethical dilemma over keeping Devonani's secret and Troi and Devonani in bed. This episode is the closest the Trek franchise has come to an erotica episode and it's a lot of fun. The dialog in the Troi/Devonani scenes which seems romantic and smooth to a youth will appear laughable and cliche to the experienced, older ear. It's pretty much a collection of all of the lines we expect.

That's not to say it's not fun. "The Price" is fun and easy to watch. After all, there is more than Troi getting a foot massage. The negotiation process, complicated by the Ferengi, is interesting to watch and it is enough to keep us interested the entire episode.

The strength of much of the episode is in Marina Sirtis' performance. She plays Troi with dignity and inner strength in a piece that could, by its script, come out completely silly. Instead, Devonani's advances allow Troi to let go without appearing reckless. Sirtis' performance is tightly controlled, balancing the tight restrictions of Troi's repressed character with the freedom she must feel given the opportunity to take the character in a different direction.

Add to her performance supporting roles well played by the regulars and guest stars.

A lot of people have a problem with "The Price" for its lack of special effects sophistication. I'd like to take the opportunity to say that at the time "The Price" aired, the effects were cutting edge and the wormhole effect is still decent to watch now. After all, the effects here do what they ought to; support the players. They do not override our eyes and make us lose focus on what is important. Instead, the effects support the actors. That's what good special effects ought to do.

So, what does "The Price" truly offer the viewer? For fans of the series, this is the chance to see Troi, as Troi - not disease-ridden or alien possessed - let loose a little and actually progress her character forward. For the non-fan of the series, this is a pretty standard love story. Two people fall in love over a business deal and they have a pretty typical young relationship.

In the larger scheme, "The Price" gives us another chance to see the thread pulled on the Riker/Troi romance and the writers here make no disguise of the fact that it is being tested. Is it still alive? Not so much in this episode, but it's clear there's still affection between them.

Notable as well for costume, "The Price" is simply a fun episode that tells a cheap love story and taken as such it may be viewed and enjoyed by anyone.

[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!]

7.5/10

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

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.





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Let the Games For Survival Begin! "Peak Performance" Teases The Borg Menace!

The Good: Acting, Plot, Special effects
The Bad: Uneven characterization
The Basics: In an episode better for those who are not fans of the series, Riker and Picard square off in a war games exercise.


Only a few episodes ago, the Federation encountered a new menace, the Borg. Realizing that the Borg from "Q-Who?" (reviewed here!) represent the greatest threat to Federation security ever, our heroes in the 24th Century are determined to adapt. They'll need to. The first step toward acknowledging the Borg Threat comes in "Peak Performance."

When a Zakdorn (don't worry, we haven't heard of or seen them before this episode) strategist is brought aboard the Enterprise, his mission is to conduct a series of war games between Picard and the Enterprise and Riker and the barely functional U.S.S. Hathaway. Riker assembles his crew using many of Picard's best people: Worf, Geordi and Wesley Crusher. Picard and Data set out to win the games, though Data experiences a bout of self-doubt when the Zakdorn beats him at a holographic game. Once that dilemma is solved, and it is - rather quickly -, Data returns to duty and the war games commence, though not without complications.

The only real problem, and it's a serious one, with "Peak Performance" is that none of the characters read as true in the piece. Picard makes a one-line protest to the war games in general, defending that StarFleet is not a military organization. The Zakdorn strategist Kolrami seems to only know how to surrender. And Data's self-doubt is pathetic and obvious, predicated on the idea that Data has never failed before. Now who's being naive.

But the character inconsistencies continue; Picard cites Riker as a great challenge, though Picard has had vastly more experience and an actual practical knowledge of combat tactics. Until this episode, the only known military conflicts any Enterprise officers have served in was Picard's battle with the Ferengi. Why then does Picard think Riker is a cunning strategist? Picard has been calling the shots (which there haven't been many of) in space combat on the Enterprise. That whole aspect of the episode does not "read" right.

Moreover, the doubt Data feels is distracting, especially considering he was dealt a far worse blow in "Elementary, Dear Data" (reviewed here!) and he didn't blink an eye. Wesley's duplicity in this episode works for the character, but fails on a level of common sense. He is being guarded by a security officer and still bamboozles him.

So the episode doesn't work very well in the context of the series and it's an episode by it's nature, alluding to the Borg Threat, that demands series attention in order to understand the magnitude of the activity. Without "Q-Who?," "Peak Performance" would be even more baffling.

While their characters are riddled with faults, the acting is good. Brent Spiner plays the pride-wounded Data well, adding more to the character than we've seen him do in many recent episodes. Patrick Stewart uses some range with making Picard envious of Riker's abilities.

And, at heart, the plot is a pretty solid one. It's nice to see StarFleet preparing for an invasion. It makes sense. It makes even more sense in the future of the series when we see just how far the Federation got in its preparations.

All in all, this is a very accessible episode for fans of television in general. It tells a story and it has a habit of telling it well here, even if the characters don't make much sense in the long run.

[Knowing that VHS is essentially a dead medium, it's worth looking into Star Trek: The Next Generation - 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!]

5.5/10

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

© 2011, 2007, 2002 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.




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