Date: April 20, 2020

Season 4, Episodes 22 and 23

Musical Accompaniment: The Amélie soundtrack.

Interstellar News: Today is the 29th Founder’s Day for the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Omega Epsilon, an engineering sorority. I was proud to be Chapter Vice President, President, Membership Educator, and International Executive Board Vice President, as well as a member and head of many committees. Gamma love.

Favorite Quote from “Half A Life”:

Lwaxana: I just can’t accept that fate will allow me to meet him like this and then take him away. I mean, he’s not ill. He hasn’t had a tragic accident. He’s just going to die, and for no good reason. Because his society has decided that he’s too old, so they just dispose of him as though his life no longer had value or meaning. You can’t possibly understand at your age, but at mine, sometimes you feel tired and afraid.

Deanna: You’re feeling very vulnerable. Very mortal, if I may say so. I know you, Mother, and believe me, you will never be one of those who dies before they die.

A touching conversation between Mother and Daughter.

“Half A Life” begins with Troi stating “my mother is on board” and that’s all you really need to know. The Enterprise is working with the people of Kaelon II to help fix their dying sun, they’ve found a suitable other sun in an uninhabited world that they can run tests on. Lwaxana immediately latches onto Timicin when he arrives, going so far as to make excuses for spending time with him, but he is very reserved. After the promising test literally explodes Timicin discloses about what awaits him upon return… “The Resolution” where he will turn 60, be celebrated by his friends and loved ones, and then go kill himself, per Kaelon tradition.

Deanna does some amazing but slightly unethical counseling with her mother, who obviously doesn’t want Timicin to die so soon after they have found each other. Timicin and Lwaxana have an interesting philosophical discussion, each making very good and valid points. Timicin requests asylum because he needs to finish his work, what’s the point if his world dies after all, but after a visit from his daughter he realizes he needs to go home. Lwaxana, carrying her own luggage, accompanies Timicin to attend his Resolution and they depart for Kaelon II.

I had a really hard time writing about this episode. I’ll admit I was very teary eyed watching it and I’ve had to take a bunch of breaks while revisiting it just an hour or two later. This episode breaks my heart but is so good in so many ways. I will admit I’ve never visited Kaelon II, but there’s never a good reason to pick one age and apply it to the whole population, it just doesn’t work like that as we all age differently. Lwaxana makes that point and I believe it is a good one. As people age yes, they sometimes become a burden on their children, my mother spent her last seven months living with me while her health deteriorated rapidly and we had a ton of fights and other unhappy memories… but we had good ones too, ones that we would not have if I sent her off at the first sign of decline. Those who are of an advanced age have so much life experience and wisdom to offer, but it’s also their body and they know it best. While I am glad I do not live on Kaelon II, sometimes I think people who believe in the “sanctity of life” don’t actually think about the quality of life aspect either. I feel it is the same as those who claim to be “pro life” but then do not support policy that allows that life to benefit. George Carlin said it best, sometimes people are just “pro birth” and don’t really think about life at all. I can’t rate this episode, but it was absolutely a fine one and maybe I’ll revisit it once we are no longer in the age of Covid-19. Either that or I’ll go watch Coco again and cry throughout that whole movie, which is amazing and you should go watch it immediately.

Favorite Quotes from “The Host”:

Dr. Crusher: I feel his pull. It’s very powerful. I wish he’d never come on this ship.

Troi: Don’t wish that, Beverly. You can’t be open to love if you don’t risk pain.

Dr. Crusher: I don’t care. I’d give anything not to feel the way I do now.

Same, Bev, same.

Dr. Crusher: Perhaps it is a human failing, but we are not accustomed to these kinds of changes. I can’t keep up. How long will you have this host? What would the next one be? I can’t live with that kind of uncertainty. Perhaps, someday, our ability to love won’t be so limited.

I have never related to someone more, who knew there’d be a whole episode that I understood Dr. Crusher?

“The Host” has the Enterprise en route to deliver Ambassador Odan who will be assisting with peace negotiations, after he’s had afternoon and evening delights with Dr. Beverly Crusher. Odan refuses to use the transporter, oh great another McCoy and Pulaski… can you hear me rolling my eyes? Riker pilots Odan but they are attacked and Odan is hurt… except it’s just his host, he’s really a parasite that needs a new host, yeesh.

Riker volunteers to be tribute, I mean host so as to avoid war. Crusher tries to figure out what she loved the man or his appearance. The representatives from Alpha and Beta moon allow Riker/Odan to administer the proceedings. Odan decides he must be removed at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome. The sides agree not to go to war but Odan is taken out of Riker and the new host body is en route but delayed. The new host arrives, but is female, and Crusher and Odan/Kareel leave.

This is an interesting episode. Dr. Crusher is finally experiencing some love and she has to come to terms with figuring out if it’s the appearance or the man inside that she is attracted to. For some it’s all about the personality, for others it’s all about the looks, and some others still need a bit of both. It was disturbing watching Riker and Crusher kiss, and I’m kind of upset that Crusher never takes into account how Troi must be feeling with the risk Riker took on. There feel like a lot of things were missing, like too much time was spent on some things and not enough on others. I was very underwhelmed with this episode, especially because we didn’t get to see nearly any of the negotiations. I’m still too emotionally drained from the previous episode, but I think a 3 is in order for this episode.

TA Out!

Date: April 19, 2020

Season 4, Episode 17 – “Night Terrors”, Episode 18 – “Identity Crisis”, Episode 19 – “The Nth Degree”, Episode 20 – “Qpid”, and Episode 21 – “The Drumhead”

Musical Accompaniment: I was in the mood for more piano after listening to a lot of Billy Joel after the last few days, so I found some Piano Covers.

Interstellar News: Today’s entry will be different as I will cover five episodes. I’ll still include a favorite quote but the summary will be a lot shorter.

Favorite Quote from “Night Terrors” – Data’s Not Really An Android: “Sir, as my final duty as Acting Captain, I order you to bed. I shall do the same for all personnel.”

“Night Terrors” has the Enterprise investigating the Brittain which has been missing for a month and the crew apparently all killed each other, except for one Betazaoid found in shock. The ship can’t leave because they are stuck in a Tyken Rift and need a massive explosion to help, but the crew all start acting wonky. Turns out no one can enter REM sleep and are all starting to go a little crazy. It also turns out that another species has been trying to contact them telepathically, so Troi and Data work together since they are the last two mostly functioning and everyone lives to move onto the next mission.

Everyone did a really great job acting and looking sleep deprived in this episode. There were subtle differences in their mannerisms and appearance that was just amazing work by the makeup and costume crew. There was one scene where Worf goes to commit suicide because he “feels fear and isn’t a warrior anymore” and thank goodness for Troi. That was such a powerful scene about how some people, and cultures, view weakness and may act when they feel hopeless, when it feels like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. The other crew members are all at each other’s throats, Guinan has a great line holding an alien machine gun, and even Picard realizes he’s not above needing rest. There were two things at work here, the other aliens and the rift, which was a nice challenge to the mystery.

There were a ton of downers about this episode, however. What happened to Hagan? Did the Enterprise ever communicate with the other aliens and tell them to maybe not do that anymore? What on Earth was up with the Troi “nightmares”, how does anyone call those bad dreams? Once the explosion actually does occur, in the last 10 seconds of course, Picard immediately snaps out of it… which is NOT how sleep deprivation works. Someone give the crew a 5 hour energy, at least that’s what I’m rating this episode.

Favorite Quote from “Identity Crisis”:

Dr. Crusher: You’re worried about Geordi, aren’t you?

Data: I am an android. It is not possible…

Dr. Crusher: …for you to feel anxiety.

Data: Starfleet personnel have vanished. Others may be at risk. We must do the best we can to find out why. However, I am strongly motivated to solve this mystery.

That was quite possibly the sweetest thing Data has ever said.

“Identity Crisis” has the Enterprise investigating something weird that happened over 5 years ago when La Forge was part of another crew. 49 people disappeared on Tarchannen III five years ago and La Forge was part of a five person team investigating the disappearance, though everyone but him and Leijten have also disappeared in the last week. At one point Leijten starts acting strangely and begins to turn into an Avatar-like creature. Dr. Crusher figures out what the problem is an helps reserve Leitjen’s condition, but La Forge has already turned and is on the planet’s surface, oh and they TURN INVISIBLE! As they are visible in UV light the away team locates and helps La Forge turn back to normal and Picard orders the planet quarantined.

So this was a gooooood mystery on top of another mystery. What happened to all the people? Why is this one away team all of a sudden returning to the scene of the crime? I like that we get the answers to these questions, and it kind of sucks they can’t figure out how to get the others back. I do, however, have one GIANT question. If implanting others with their parasite was their way of reproduction, then did Picard just condemn an entire species to die by blocking off the planet? If they can’t implant their DNA into someone else, how are they going to reproduce? I need answers people! I’ll supply an away team with 7 people to answer my question.

Favorite Quote from “The Nth Degree”:

La Forge: Reg, something’s happened to you, and we can’t ignore that.

Barclay: Yes. I’ve finally become the person I’ve always wanted to be. Do we have to ask why?

La Forge: Yeah, I think we do.

Barclay asking a really good question and La Forge making an excellent counterpoint.

“The Nth Degree” starts with us seeing that Barclay has made some great strides since we last saw him, so he goes along with La Forge to investigate an alien probe that is hanging around the Argus Array. The probe emits a light that La Forge’s visor filters out, but knocks Barclay unconscious. When he comes to, he’s a new man both on and off the clock… including a very suave pass at Troi. At one point he merges himself with the system’s computer and takes the Enterprise over 30,000 light years away to the Cytherians, who don’t get out much. In fact they send the probes in order to guide people to them so they can exchange information, which the Enterprise does on behalf of the Federation. After 10 days they are safely returned to Federation space and Barclay is back to “normal”, well.. sort of.

This was a great episode, a lot of fun. Barclay is better but still in need of some work when he is clearly altered but not really causing too much harm. Picard doesn’t really see the need to do anything until it’s too late, but at least Barclay helped them to achieve the Enterprise’s mission at meeting new civilizations! The acting job is superb all around, even in the one like that Riker uses when he’s trying to not let on that he has no idea what Barclay is talking about. It was also a nice, slow ramp up to Barclay going out of control. First he tells La Forge he’s sorry if he overstepped, then he asks for “help” from the engineering team and Eisenstein in the holodeck, then he retreats to the holodeck to build a better interface by MERGING HIMSELF WITH THE COMPUTER, and then he’s sort of back to good ol’ Reg who might have learned how to play 3D chess… fascinating. Some of it, however, felt a bit patronizing. That’s my only low note on the episode, oh that and the old white dude who played the floating head. That gives this episode an 8… 4 witches of Oz + the 4 regions of Oz.

Favorite Quotes from “Qpid”… brace yourselves there are FOUR of them:

Picard: I’ve just been paid a visit from Q.

Riker: Q? Any idea what he’s up to?

Picard: He wants to do something nice for me.

Riker: I’ll alert the crew.

The way that Jonathan Frakes delivers the last line left me in stitches, it was SO GOOD.

Worf’s One-Two Punch:

“Nice legs…. for a human.”

“Sir, I protest. I am NOT a merry man.”

Two excellent Worf quotes.

Vash: You mean you came here alone?

Picard: That’s right, now come on.

Vash: What kind of plan is that?

Picard: It’s an excellent one if you’ll just hurry up.

Vash asking two excellent questions and Picard being exasperated.

“Qpid” doesn’t begin with Q popping in, but instead Vash from “Captain’s Holiday“. As Picard is a private man, he hasn’t told anyone about Vash and she gets quite upset with him. When he goes to apologize he realizes she’s there to break the law and he leaves in a huff. Q, in the meantime, feels he needs to repay Picard for the events of “Deja Q” which allowed Q back in the Continuum and he does so by transporting the bridge crew and Vash into a Robin Hood fantasy where Picard is Robin, Vash is Maid Marian, and Q is the Sherrif. Oh and did I mention Marian is about to be beheaded? Picard goes off alone, because he’s like that, Vash is the consummate survivor, and the rest of the crew doesn’t listen to Picard but do create a diversion that allows them to win. There’s a great fight scene while Q eats a turkey leg, but Q beams everyone back but Vash… because they are going to be partners together.Q promises she will not be harmed and Q is such the voyeur, what a perv!

At first I thought Vash was Q doing some shape-shifting and I am SO GLAD I was wrong, but now I cannot get the image of Stewart and Delancie kissing out of my head. The first half of the episode was super boring as you’re just waiting for whatever Q is going to do, but once he pulls the trigger it is so much fun. It’s so much fun to see Vash mystifying Q and also Q using “As you wish” from The Princess Bride. It’s also quite interesting that Picard and Q would fall for the same type of woman, but everyone seems quite taken with her from their first meeting. I loved this for the silly, ridiculous episode it was… as I really needed to laugh today. I especially loved when Worf smashed La Forge’s instrument reminiscent of Animal House, and when Troi accidentally shoots Data/Friar Tuck. If it was not for Worf, I don’t think I would have liked this episode as much… so that’s a 8, where we have 3 cheers for Worf in this 5th appearance by Q.

Favorite Quote from “The Drumhead”:

Worf: He refused to answer the question about his Romulan grandfather.

Picard: That is not a crime, Worf. Nor can we infer his guilt because he didn’t respond.

Worf: Sir, if a man were not afraid of the truth, he would answer.

Picard: Oh, no. We cannot allow ourselves think that. The Seventh Guarantee is one of the most important rights granted by the Federation. We cannot take a fundamental principle of the Constitution and turn it against a citizen.

There are two lessons here. 1. NEVER, EVER lie on an application. 2. It’s okay to be afraid of the truth, but not wanting to admit something out loud does not make you guilty.

“The Drumhead” has a Klingon spy aboard and there many be a mole on the crew of the Enterprise, escandalo! Admiral Satie is called out of retirement to find out what’s going on. Worf makes a break in the case that leads to the medical staff and La Forge is able to determine that the bomb was likely an accident. J’dan, the Klingon, admits his guilt as a traitor, but Tarses from the medical staff is pulled in and found out to have lied as he is part Romulan, not part Vulcan. Satie goes on a witch-hunt and eventually comes up against Picard and mentions events that happened in “Data’s Day” , “Sins of the Father“, and “The Best of Both Worlds” to question his loyalty to Starfleet. Picard whips out some words from her father and she loses it, showing everyone in the room that she had no ground to go up against Picard.

The episode starts off innocently enough, there’s a spy on board. It then escalates to a conspiracy quite quickly, as do the actions of Satie. She was fine at first and then just turned into the worst possible human, especially in her comments to Picard. It’s an important episode about not lying on an application and not thinking everyone is guilty because someone thinks there might be a conspiracy, but we didn’t need 45 minutes on it. I totally understand why Tarses lied and why he chose the enlisted route, but I don’t excuse his actions by any means. The truth always comes out. As there were only 2 things I got out of this episode, that’s it rating.

TA Out!

Date: April 17, 2020

Season 4, Episodes 15 and 16

Musical Accompaniment: Old Stone Village presents Medieval Folk Music

Interstellar News: Today did not seem like a Friday, but it was a beautiful day out.

Favorite Quote from “First Contact”:

Picard: I think we shall find we have much in common.

Durken: And much that is not in common.

Picard: An opportunity to learn from one another.

Picard is truly a fine captain, negotiator, and now we get to add diplomat to that list.

“First Contact” starts in an alien hospital where the doctors are completely baffled by Riker who appears to be like them on the surface only. He explains away his appearance as genetic abnormalities. We see a bit of the alien society and its function, they have not yet achieved space travel and have been advancing slowly with social reforms. Picard and Troi beam down to talk to the one of the scientists for a first contact situation.

The medical facility doesn’t believe Riker and many of the staff feel hostile toward him. Riker receives an indecent proposal by one of the Malcorians and tries to escape, but it further injured and needs surgery. Picard meets with Chancellor Durken and Mirasta some more, explaining the Prime Directive and trying to get access to Riker. Their security minister, Krola, tries to be a martyr and it sort of works because the Chancellor knows the people are not ready to accept this new reality, but he will help them to get there… slowly. Mirasta asks to go with the Enterprise to which Picard says yes.

There are so many things in Malcorian culture that are identical to that of humans. There’s the conservative view of a nuclear family and eating dinner together, a Hippocratic Oath, their planet being the center of the universe, and people who don’t like change… I mean that sounds suuuuuper familiar, right? If this is an “alien first contact”, then show me some aliens. In the scene in Ten-Forward they showed at least one of the non-human species sitting at the bar to show how “diverse” the crew and Federation are, but you can’t have their ways be different at all? Maybe that was to make it easier for Picard to show they can be similar, but I’d like a little differences in my 24th century aliens thank you very much.

I did like to see a first contact situation and the history behind it. You can see the good, the bad, the flaws, almost all of it. Although the Malcorians didn’t join the Federation, you can see their Chancellor really did what he thought was best for his people. I was a little bummed that Mirasta wanted to peace out instead of helping lead her people to the stars, but some people were meant to explore. She reminds me of Moana, but this episode was just kind of meh with nothing that really made it stand out… except for the amazingly fun scene with Bebe Neuwirth, 6 Cheers!

Favorite Quote from “Galaxy’s Child”:

Guinan: You saw exactly what you wanted to see in the holodeck. Sure, the computer made it look like her, gave it personality, but when it came to the relationship, La Forge, you filled in the blanks. And you had a perfectly wonderful, marvelous little fantasy, until the real Leah showed up and ruined it. She’s probably done the most horrific thing one person can do to another, not live up to your expectations. So I’d take a good, hard, long look at her, La Forge. See her for who she is, not for what you want her to be.

Guinan with the Gibbs head slap, again. Tis a wonderful thing.

“Galaxy’s Child” has the Enterprise stopping to grab some supplies and Dr. Leah Brahms, the real one and not the simulation from “The Booby Trap“, and La Forge is all giddy to meet with her. Their first interaction doesn’t go well and La Forge is acting all weird, though it’s very much like watching a theoretical physicist and an experimental physicist go at it.

La Forge tries to start over and takes her through a tour of engineering while the Enterprise explores the Alpha Omicron system and discovers an anomaly, a living entity floating through space. The entity they encounter attacks them and they kill it by accident, which Picard takes very hard even though it was the correct thing to do, but then they find out it’s pregnant… fascinating. Dr. Crusher guides Worf to do a space C-section (which is totally how I was brought into this world too) and “Junior” is so thankful it attaches to the hull and starts sucking the energy out of the Enterprise, awww so sweet (again, waving hands in sarcasm).

La Forge sort of come cleans and tells Brahms he’s studied her work, she tells him she’s married, and then she finds the holodeck program and rightfully chews him out. They work together to try and solve the “Junior” problem, which they do, and end the episode as colleagues.

First I would like to say that all of the baby analogies were fucking terrible and I hated them the more they went on. Second, La Forge was super creepy and should have come clean right away and not tried to use his acquired knowledge to “woo” her and also not be so damn disappointed she was married and then be all “I only offer friendship”. Dude you were totally trying to get into her pants, you don’t fool me. I do like that they both came to a consensus at the end, but Brahms’s reaction to her husband calling was almost sorrowful. Honestly most of the scenes between them were awful, except for when they were in the engine (for like 2 lines) and at the end right before her husband calls. A plus of this episode is that Picard really sells his sadness at killing a life form and you can see how hopeful he is at the end. Also, the baby didn’t die and it got to go back with its peoples so that’s a good thing too. I’m giving this episode 4 pennies.

TA Out!

Date: April 16, 2020

Season 4, Episodes 13 and 14

Musical Accompaniment: Ambient Worlds presents: Peter Pan

Interstellar News: I was able to see two of my favorite authors in a Zoom Q & A webinar tonight. If you need some hope in your life, pick up a copy of Fantastic Hope.

Favorite Quote from “Devil’s Due”:

Ardra: Please don’t take any offense at these questions, you know how fond I am of you.

Picard: Objection.

Data: Sustained. The advocate will refrain from expressing personal affections for her opponent.

The trial was mighty fun and Ardra did not hide her affection for Picard.

“Devil’s Due” has a wonky transmission from Ventax II as the science station is overrun with a mob of locals and all of the scientists are kidnapped, except for one who is transported onto the Enterprise. The people of Ventax II are worried that Ardra, “the devil”, is going to come and enslave the world because she’s collecting her end of the contract where she offered 1000 years of peace as long as they would serve her at the end of the term. She claims to have many names and have served many such contracts over the years, but Picard isn’t buying her magic tricks so he has Data pour over it to look for a loophole.

Picard is convinced she’s not the real Ardra and is just pulling a con job. Data finds a local law that is similar to that of the Sheliak conflict in “The Ensigns of Command” where a third party arbiter can be used and Ardra and Picard both settle on using Data as he can be impartial. Ardra proves she’s done everything on her end and it’s time for Ventax II to pay up. Picard disputes this saying she hasn’t really done anything, aside from kicking the butts of the locals to make their world a better place for themselves. a Forge, because he’s a badass, figures out she has a cloaked ship and he and Picard steals her “powers”, during which Data’s face is adorable with wonderment. The people are freed and Ardra is imprisoned.

There were some really funny moments… like when Picard was beamed down to the station in his pajamas and when Worf was trying to look horrified that Ardra could turn into a Klingon creature, but otherwise there wasn’t much here. Picard just knew she was a con artist and he proved it in traditional Enterprise fashion, though most of the “magic” happened off screen and they just told us what they did. It was silly, but fun, and an interesting way for a con artist to use their skills as long as they keep up with the technology. A lot of the scams are the same throughout history, but with a technology twist they can be harder to catch. I give a lecture on how technology has made scams not only more accessible to a wider audience, but also sometimes much more difficult to catch as well. This was a fun episode, but just a filler compared to all of the other nifty stories we’ve had in the past. That earns this episode a rating of 5, as “The Devil” is the 15th Major Arcana card in a Tarot deck and “tarot” has 5 letters in it.

Favorite Quote from “Clues”:

Dr. Crusher: Worf, you came in here for something?

Worf: A warrior does not complain about physical discomfort, but the Captain ordered us to report anything out of the ordinary.

The fact that Worf went to sick bay on his own without a direct order from the captain, meant he was worried. You can even see him rubbing his wrist as soon as they get out of their “coma”.

“Clues” has the Enterprise finish one mission a little early so they have a little bit of down time before they have to go on their next one. Picard invites Guinan to the “Dixon Hill” program, Dr. Crusher sets up an experiment, and many of the bridge crew do something that looks like Tai Chi. They find a “Class M” planet where there shouldn’t be one and as they accidentally go through a wormhole in space everyone is passed out but Data, but only for 30 seconds. Turns out Picard has his own real life mystery to solve because things just aren’t adding up. Dr. Crusher’s experiment shows A DAY of growth, Worf’s wrist was broken and reset, the ship’s chronometer was tampered with, and Data is acting super shady.

They launch a second probe and head back whence they came because it’s clear Data messed with the first probe, and Troi is taken over by the inhabitants of the planet, the Paxans. Apparently they want to be left alone and for no one to know they are there and Picard himself ordered Data to lie to him and everyone else. Unfortunately, there were too many clues and curiosity got the best of the humans, so they decide to try one more time and to make sure there are NO CLUES this time. The second try works, Data almost manages a not creepy smile… well it’s more of a smirk, and away we go.

I have very fond memories of playing the board game ‘Clue’ and watching the Tim Curry movie “Clue” and there was no murder mystery here and I was very disappointed based on the title of this episode. It was a fun little mystery, much like the last episode, but it was very strange in some places. When Data is recalling the first time Picard just jumps to the solution of lying to everyone and it seems so unlike him. The second time, I can see the Paxan representative is intrigued by the humans and doesn’t really want to kill them, so they are willing to try again to avoid a galactic incident, lest their hiding place be found by others. Seeing the crew put all of the pieces together was fun but their treatment of Data made it seem like they still weren’t over what happened in “Brothers“. I was also hoping there would be a resolution to the “Dixon Hill” mystery and that Guinan had a bit more or a part to play. Oh well, it wasn’t a terrible episode and that earns it a 6-shooter.

TA Out!