VOY: “Spirit Folk”

Date: March 4, 2021

Season 6, Episode 17

Music Video of the Day: Happy 4th Day of Women’s History Month!

The HorrorPops are a badass band of women.

Interstellar News: The sun was out again and it truly does feel wonderful.

TL;DR: Paris is back in Fair Haven but this time he uses technology in front of some locals and they believe he and the rest of the Voyager crew are faeries. The locals start telling each other about all the strange happenings and decide to set a trap. When Kim and Paris try to fix the program, they get captured, as does the EMH eventually. Michael, the bartender, picks up the mobile emitter and beams over to the bridge, where Janeway tells him the truth and the two of them convince the rest of the town that they’re really not different from one another.

Favorite Quote:

Michael: I guess that leaves but one question. How long are you planning on staying?

Janeway: Well that depends if we’re still welcome.

Michael: My door is always open. But you’re the captain of a starship, I’m a barkeep.

Janeway: Just because we’re from different worlds doesn’t mean we can’t care for each other.

Janeway explaining to Michael that she doesn’t care
Ireland: "Trump to the left of me, Brexit to the right, Eire I am, Stuck in the middle with EU"
“SINNERS!” – the EMH

“Well, that’s the problem. I’ve got a boyfriend who malfunctions.“: So this was way better than its predecessor, but that was such an awful episode that’s not really the best measurement. My husband mentioned that whoever engineered the holodeck safety protocols must have been an idiot because the minute they were damaged, the program should have just shut down. As for me, I think Kim and Paris were the idiots for not immediately saying “COMPUTER FREEZE PROGRAM” when they saw the mob coming their way. I will say it was absolutely entertaining for Chakotay to meet Michael. It was like “Oh, work boyfriend please meet my holodeck boyfriend” and I laughed and laughed. I was also shocked that Seven made a disparaging remark about the holodeck characters being “just holograms”, especially in front of the doctor, since they are both so close. The ending was wonderful, though, when the townspeople figured out what good this advanced technology could bring. Thought I do wonder if they broke the Prime Directive here… hmmmmm. 4 cheers for amber style beer on this one.

TA Out!

VOY: “Collective”

Date: March 3, 2021

Season 6, Episode 16

Music Video of the Day: Happy 3rd Day of Women’s History Month!

Saluting Jenna McDougall and this bad ass Australian band.

Interstellar News: It was a beautiful day out and this afternoon’s walk was wonderful.

TL;DR: Neelix, Kim, Chakotay, and Paris are on a shuttle (didn’t we just do this?) playing poker when they are taken in by a Borg cube run by several Borg children who were pulled out of their maturation chambers early when all of the adults died of a virus. Seven negotiates with them, she saves an infant Borg, and find out that the actual Borg have cut the kids off from the rest of the Collective. Eventually the Doctor is able to save at least four of the Borg kids and Janeway leaves them in Seven’s charge.

Favorite Quote:

Janeway: Borg vessel, this is the starship Voyager. You’re holding our crewmen. We’re willing to cease firing if you return them.

Borg: Negotiation is irrelevant. You will be assimilated.

Janeway: Not today, and not by you. Agree, or I’ll resume firing.

Janeway is an absolute boss.
"I have no need for google. I have a teen daughter who knows it all"
For my friends with teenagers, the Southern phrase is “bless your heart”.

“They are contemptuous of authority, convinced that they are superior. Typical adolescent behavior for any species.”: There’s one absolutely brilliant moment in this episode. Janeway comes in to check on the Borg infant and the EMH tries to use her hormones against her by using the infant to try and talk her out of using the pathogen on the other Borg children, but it totally backfires because Janeway is more than the sum of her hormones! It’s the same for me, actually, unless there are baby animals involved and then it’s almost impossible for me to say no. There were other parts that were a lot of fun. Harry trying to outsmart the young female Borg and failing miserably, the second in command asserting his individuality, and the poker game. The rest of the episode, however, I saw coming as soon as the kids were involved. Captain Mom wants to save all the wayward souls and you know the one kid is going to die and Seven’s going to put in charge of children and it’s totally going to end badly. They need both Seven and Neelix’s ministrations, because their opposite approaches would help balance out to at least one competent parent. I rate this episode 6 excruciating hours at the Zootopia DMV.

TA Out!

Sports Night: “How Are Things in Glocca Morra?”

Date: March 1, 2021

Season 1, Episode 17

Music Video of the Day: Happy 1st Day of Women’s History Month.

Saluting Aimee Interrupter, an amazing vocalist. “She’s Kerosene” and “By My Side” are also awesome songs. Check them out!

Interstellar News: Happy birthday to my step-mom, Roberta! Sorry I’ve been MIA, it’s been a rough few days. I’ll get back to Trek soon, though, as I need to see how Janeway gets them home… or does she?

Favorite Quote:

Casey: Why are we holding?

Dana: ‘Cause some guy named Fettuccine Alfredo just… Jeremy, what’s his name?

Jeremy: Alberto Fedrigotti.

Dana: –Alberto Fedrigotti just took Sampras to a fourth set.

Casey: Why would he do this to me?

Dana: He’s not doing it to you personally, Casey. He’s doing it to me personally.

Dana is miffed at Pete Sampras.

“I’m saying this is MY show. This isn’t my hobby. “: Well, this is an episode I never understood… even when I was younger. I totally get making compromises in a relationship, but at this point Gordon and Dana have been dating for months, right? Why hasn’t she met his friends yet? Why wouldn’t they schedule this big night for a night that Dana has off? I still don’t understand why Natalie couldn’t do the show, the one line about her not having prepped it makes absolutely no sense. Gordon is not just a douche-canoe because he’s cheating on Dana with Sally, but also because he’s not understanding of her job and how much she loves it. Some people do a job and check out at the end of the day and leave their work behind, but some people live and love their jobs. It’s hard to love someone who does that, and you have to learn a lot about setting boundaries, but it’s well worth it because they’re usually happy and fulfilled.

this is why you should never take pictures of tennis players while they're playing (he looks strange)
Also, why you should NEVER pause a Disney animated movie.

I do love that Jeremy is writing another letter to his sister Louise and explaining how the tennis match that wouldn’t end had sort of a butterfly effect on the rest of the crew. I love the beginnings of Dan and Rebecca, because he’s a lot more endearing here and they’re adorable together. I love how excited she gets over watching Dan work. That’s the kind of support Dana needs, especially from a man who claims to love watching Dana in action and doesn’t hold their relationship hostage to get what he wants. This episode has a lot of callbacks to previous ones and will be important in the next few as well. Not a personal favorite, but definitely a damn important episode with a lot of moving parts.

TA Out!

Sports Night: “Sally”

Date: February 27, 2021

Season 1, Episode 16

Music Video of the Day: Happy 27th Day of Black History Month!

All hail the Queen.

Interstellar News: Yesterday was another not so great brain day, and to be honest today isn’t either. But I felt the urge to write, so here I go.

Also, as a bonus, listen to this song by Blink-182 called “My Pet Sally“. I am always reminded of it when I think of the title of this episode.

Favorite Quote:

Jeremy: I need some guidance. ‘Cause I don’t mind telling you, I’m feeling just a little anxious about this. Number-1: Is it too early in our relationship for me to be spending three days at her parents’. I mean, it’s not like I’m Pacino going back to Corleone and bringing gifts to Appolonia’s family. And Number-2: I’m Jewish. And her family is, you know, incredibly not. Which isn’t, by the way, any sort of problem for me, but I do think it might be a problem for them, because after all, there are those who think I killed their Lord, Jesus Christ. Not me directly, mind you. I didn’t drive the getaway car or anything. In fact, my family’s from Latvia, so we’ve got a pretty solid alibi, but anyway, Isaac, what do you think?

Isaac: Oh my God, were you talking to me all that whole time?

Jeremy going on an epic rant and Isaac killing it with his response.
slow news day again, old chap? gomez addams
What time does the first game start, Elliot?
In seven hours….

“You’re wearing my shirt, Gordon.”: This is one of my favorite episodes purely for the line I’ve quoted right before this sentence. There is so much delivered in that line. Dana and Gordon never went on their snorkeling trip and then he stands her up, we find out Casey had sex with Sally and lost his shirt and then… BAM, Gordon’s wearing it and I never saw that coming. Casey doesn’t want Dana to be hurt or find out he’s slept with Sally, and so he keeps quiet even when Dana thinks everything is just fucking fine. Spoiler alert: it’s not. The rest of the crew is waiting for the news to start and Jeremy freaks out about meeting Dana’s family and knowing nothing about Easter. While not a lot really happens this episode, there’s just something about that scene that makes it so memorable for me. I mean… just watch it, it’s wonderful.

Casey is wonderful here.

TA Out!

Sports Night: “Dana And The Deep Blue Sea”

Date: February 25, 2021

Season 1, Episode 15

Music Video of the Day: Happy 25th Day of Black History Month!

From one of my favorite music movies, Blues Brothers. The music starts at just before 2 minutes in, but the set up is wonderful.

Interstellar News: Tuesday we watched Episode III and it was a late night, and I was exhausted on Wednesday… so sorry for being away for a few days. I have two Trek episodes I’m still marinating on, so you get more Sports Night tonight. I hope you’re not too disappointed.

Favorite Quote:

Casey: “The sophomore sensation accredits her agility and quick first step to her father, who used to take her to a neighborhood park all covered with cheese.” Dana? We got all kinds of sentence construction here. I think he’s going to have to explain that it’s the PARK that’s covered with cheese, and not the father.

Dan: This is an unforgiving room.

Natalie: Plus, it’s a little hard to figure how running through cheese helped the kid with her agility and quick first step.

Dan: Thank you, everyone.

Dan says “cheese” instead of “trees” and it’s absolutely hilarious.

“I am serious Danny, if you turn out to be a jack ass, I am gonna… No kidding, with God as my witness, I am gonna do something bad to you with numbers.”: Dan has become creepily obsessed with Rebecca, no matter how many times she turns him down. He finally remembers that she was married to a man named Steve who was an absolutely jackass and he turns on the charm extra thick to help her to understand he’s not the drummer in a band and not all sports “casters” are created equal (he’s an ANCHOR, damn it). When I first watched this show, I thought it was cute. Dan realized he wanted to do anything to get Rebecca to realize that he was a good guy and worth her time. The only bit, however, that really works for me is at the end where he tells her he’s not like Steve. All the bits before are obsessive, creepy, and stalkerish. Watching in the post-#MeToo era, I don’t understand why he can’t just take no for an answer. What would have been good enough? If she was “taken” by someone else? If you don’t think too hard about it, though, Dan is a bit adorable, but if you do think hard about it he needs a restraining order.

an underwater scene from BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS
“No, no. That’s fine. This way I can take the time I was going to devote to getting my fear of fish to get over my fear of something else. Like bears I’ve never really been comfortable with.”

The other part of this episode focuses on Dana bring fearful of snorkeling with Gordon, mostly because she’s afraid of fish… but then he cancels on her. We’ll find out what’s really going on next episode, but Dana is worried that Gordon is going to break up with her. I didn’t realize until now that this episode really just shows us the start of the end (of Dana and Gordon) and the beginning of Dan and Rebecca. That’s it, that’s the episode. Aside for the hideous cheese blunder, it’s not my favorite of episodes. This is not to say it’s bad by any stretch of the means. It’s a product of its time and still continues the smart and witty dialogue that is wonderfully portrayed by the actors. Just not a personal favorite, except for Jeremy who is always being picked on for being the “new guy”.

TA Out!