rating: ****
the story: Sela attempts to sabotage Spock's efforts to reunite Romulus with Vulcan.
similar to: "Balance of Terror" (original series), "Blood Oath" (Deep Space Nine), "Redemption" (Next Generation)
my thoughts: While lightly juxtaposing, as it should have, Spock with his spiritual descendent Data, "Unification" concludes by giving Sela the big moment she needed (in order to be justified at all) and finally defines the character of the Romulans in the franchise in a satisfactory way.
It also features "a fat Ferengi," not so much a milestone moment so much as one that's always amused me. It's Riker at his most confident!
To speak of Spock's significance is something I already discussed in the first part of the story, even though the franchise icon's role is mostly explored, and featured, in this follow-up. It's one of the most important moments of the series, concluding the emotional arc begun in "Sarek" and further contrasting Next Generation from the original series. Yet Next Generation seizes the moment in a most unexpected way, also concluding the story from "Redemption" in explaining what it is that motivates Sela, the Romulan daughter the alternate Tasha Yar from "Yesterday's Enterprise."
In so doing, not only is Spock able to give further character to Vulcan interests, but Sela explains how basic Romulan frustration at the state of galactic affairs is what motivates the whole species. Though featured in the franchise fairly regularly since their debut in "Balance of Terror," the Romulans had frequently played catch-up with Klingons for overall significance, much less psychological exploration. While "The Defector" makes it clear that politics are of utmost importance to them, "Unification" makes it perfectly clear, even chilling, making way for the antagonists of Nemesis and Star Trek, Shinzon and Nero respectively, to further expand on their existential neuroses.
Strangely, although Next Generation had long made a project of the Romulans, it quickly made far greater progress with the upstart Cardassians, who went on to have even greater exploration in Deep Space Nine. It's in "Unification" where all the work comes together.
All of this makes for essential viewing.
criteria analysis: franchise - series - character - essential (all criteria met)
notable guest-stars:
Leonard Nimoy (Spock)
Denise Crosby (Sela)
Malachi Throne
Daniel Roebuck
Stephen Root
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Showing posts with label Malachi Throne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malachi Throne. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2016
Thursday, February 25, 2016
The Next Generation 5x7 "Unification, Part 1"
rating: ****
the story: The crew goes in search of the missing Spock.
similar to: "Blood Oath" (Deep Space Nine)
my thoughts: "Unification" as a whole is about as important a Next Generation story as there ever was. At once acknowledging the ongoing significance of the recent "Redemption" crisis, it's the next great serialized chapter of the series, further signaling the approach Deep Space Nine would take and what viewers in general would come to demand of their favorite TV shows, even ones formerly most comfortable in and indeed known for their episodic format like Star Trek.
It's the first great Next Generation Romulan story since "The Defector," and, like another third season episode, bridges the gap between the series and its classic predecessor in a meaningful way. Speaking of which "Unification, Part 1" features the death of Sarek, who previously appeared in the series in the namesake episode, a moment that had original series fans take Next Generation seriously for the first time, and in an even bigger moment, Spock expanding his presence in the franchise.
Ever since McCoy's cameo in "Encounter at Farpoint," crossover characters became a franchise staple. Scotty would later appear in "Relics," and of course there's Star Trek Generations, which saw Picard meet Kirk, plus a plethora of others from throughout succeeding series (most controversially, Riker and Troi in Enterprise's final episode, "These Are the Voyages..."). Yet Spock is a seismic member of this club, duplicating his "Unification" impact in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness as he helps launch a new version of the franchise.
Outside of "Unification," however, only Deep Space Nine's "Blood Oath," in which three actors who portrayed Klingons in the original series return to reprise their roles, features a scenario that feels organic, suitably dramatic, and true to character.
As for the episode itself, besides the Klingon references, there's also Riker investigating a Zackdorn shipyard. The Zackdorn are a Next Generation alien species previously featured in "Peak Performance." They fall below the Benzites as early attempts to create distinctive new aliens with any kind of staying power, mostly because "Performance" presents a thoroughly unappealing version of the species. The effort in "Unification" is better, with a better-defined bureaucratic nature that puts them in unique, distinctive footing. Even if this is still the Zackdorns' last appearance, it leaves plenty of room for further exploration.
The episode features a cornucopia of notable guest-stars, which I point out in advance of the usual feature, just to give you a head's up. It's a whopper of an episode, but everything's better in the second part...
criteria analysis: franchise - series - character - essential (all criteria met)
notable guest-stars:
Leonard Nimoy (Spock)
Mark Lenard (Sarek)
Stephen Root
Erick Avari
Malachi Throne
Daniel Roebuck
the story: The crew goes in search of the missing Spock.
similar to: "Blood Oath" (Deep Space Nine)
my thoughts: "Unification" as a whole is about as important a Next Generation story as there ever was. At once acknowledging the ongoing significance of the recent "Redemption" crisis, it's the next great serialized chapter of the series, further signaling the approach Deep Space Nine would take and what viewers in general would come to demand of their favorite TV shows, even ones formerly most comfortable in and indeed known for their episodic format like Star Trek.
It's the first great Next Generation Romulan story since "The Defector," and, like another third season episode, bridges the gap between the series and its classic predecessor in a meaningful way. Speaking of which "Unification, Part 1" features the death of Sarek, who previously appeared in the series in the namesake episode, a moment that had original series fans take Next Generation seriously for the first time, and in an even bigger moment, Spock expanding his presence in the franchise.
Ever since McCoy's cameo in "Encounter at Farpoint," crossover characters became a franchise staple. Scotty would later appear in "Relics," and of course there's Star Trek Generations, which saw Picard meet Kirk, plus a plethora of others from throughout succeeding series (most controversially, Riker and Troi in Enterprise's final episode, "These Are the Voyages..."). Yet Spock is a seismic member of this club, duplicating his "Unification" impact in Star Trek and Star Trek Into Darkness as he helps launch a new version of the franchise.
Outside of "Unification," however, only Deep Space Nine's "Blood Oath," in which three actors who portrayed Klingons in the original series return to reprise their roles, features a scenario that feels organic, suitably dramatic, and true to character.
As for the episode itself, besides the Klingon references, there's also Riker investigating a Zackdorn shipyard. The Zackdorn are a Next Generation alien species previously featured in "Peak Performance." They fall below the Benzites as early attempts to create distinctive new aliens with any kind of staying power, mostly because "Performance" presents a thoroughly unappealing version of the species. The effort in "Unification" is better, with a better-defined bureaucratic nature that puts them in unique, distinctive footing. Even if this is still the Zackdorns' last appearance, it leaves plenty of room for further exploration.
The episode features a cornucopia of notable guest-stars, which I point out in advance of the usual feature, just to give you a head's up. It's a whopper of an episode, but everything's better in the second part...
criteria analysis: franchise - series - character - essential (all criteria met)
notable guest-stars:
Leonard Nimoy (Spock)
Mark Lenard (Sarek)
Stephen Root
Erick Avari
Malachi Throne
Daniel Roebuck
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Star Trek 1x11/1x12 "The Menagerie"
****
"The Menagerie," in the off-chance you've actually seen "The Cage," the original pilot, probably has a ton of familiar material. That would be because it basically is "The Cage."
It's also the first two-part episode in franchise history. Although I will limit my thoughts to a single entry, because for all intents and purposes, there are very few distinguishing elements between the two installments. It's basically one long episode. Because it has one episode, stuck in the middle of another episode.
And it's probably the better for it. Easily one of the most clever things the series ever did, sort of like "Trials and Tribble-ations" from Deep Space Nine, well before the fact, splicing disparate stories together in the most literal way possible.
This is one of those TV experiences that asks you to believe memory can look exactly, well, like a TV experience. Mission recorders happened to capture every moment of the events from "The Cage" (calling the NSA!) so that they could later be played back at Spock's trial.
Spock's trial??? Yes. And that's another part of the cleverness on display. Spock is clearly in the scenes from "The Cage." So he's our link between these stories. So when everyone's trying to figure out what's going on with Captain Pike (memorably depicted in a catatonic state in a futuristic...boxy wheelchair device; not depicted by original actor Jeffrey Hunter, by the way), and clearly Spock has been aiding in his shenanigans, our Vulcan friend is strongly believed to have gone rogue.
There are other episodes in the franchise where characters seem to have gone rogue when they really haven't ("The Enterprise Incident" from this series, for instance, or "Clues" from The Next Generation), by the way, as well as others where a main character is put on trial ("The Drumhead" from Next Generation, "Rules of Engagement" from Deep Space Nine, "Judgment" from Enterprise, and of course Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).
The last clever element I'll mention is that "Menagerie" is not just "Cage" repackaged, but also, incredibly, a sequel. It explains how one series of events leads to another, and actually provides resolution to the earlier ones. As such it is the earliest serialized storytelling of the franchise, although no one really knew that at the time, because "Cage" really didn't exist as far as most people were aware.
It also, besides, provides layers of history. Spock's prior service acknowledged and even depicted. Pike's career.
All around, good stuff, well worth acknowledging as a classic in franchise lore.
It's so good, in fact, that it won a Hugo.
franchise * series * essential * character
notable guest-stars:
Malachi Throne
Memory Alpha summary 1 & 2
"The Menagerie," in the off-chance you've actually seen "The Cage," the original pilot, probably has a ton of familiar material. That would be because it basically is "The Cage."
It's also the first two-part episode in franchise history. Although I will limit my thoughts to a single entry, because for all intents and purposes, there are very few distinguishing elements between the two installments. It's basically one long episode. Because it has one episode, stuck in the middle of another episode.
And it's probably the better for it. Easily one of the most clever things the series ever did, sort of like "Trials and Tribble-ations" from Deep Space Nine, well before the fact, splicing disparate stories together in the most literal way possible.
This is one of those TV experiences that asks you to believe memory can look exactly, well, like a TV experience. Mission recorders happened to capture every moment of the events from "The Cage" (calling the NSA!) so that they could later be played back at Spock's trial.
Spock's trial??? Yes. And that's another part of the cleverness on display. Spock is clearly in the scenes from "The Cage." So he's our link between these stories. So when everyone's trying to figure out what's going on with Captain Pike (memorably depicted in a catatonic state in a futuristic...boxy wheelchair device; not depicted by original actor Jeffrey Hunter, by the way), and clearly Spock has been aiding in his shenanigans, our Vulcan friend is strongly believed to have gone rogue.
There are other episodes in the franchise where characters seem to have gone rogue when they really haven't ("The Enterprise Incident" from this series, for instance, or "Clues" from The Next Generation), by the way, as well as others where a main character is put on trial ("The Drumhead" from Next Generation, "Rules of Engagement" from Deep Space Nine, "Judgment" from Enterprise, and of course Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country).
The last clever element I'll mention is that "Menagerie" is not just "Cage" repackaged, but also, incredibly, a sequel. It explains how one series of events leads to another, and actually provides resolution to the earlier ones. As such it is the earliest serialized storytelling of the franchise, although no one really knew that at the time, because "Cage" really didn't exist as far as most people were aware.
It also, besides, provides layers of history. Spock's prior service acknowledged and even depicted. Pike's career.
All around, good stuff, well worth acknowledging as a classic in franchise lore.
It's so good, in fact, that it won a Hugo.
franchise * series * essential * character
notable guest-stars:
Malachi Throne
Memory Alpha summary 1 & 2
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Star Trek 1x0 "The Cage"
*
It's hard to recommend this originally unaired first pilot (later incorporated into "The Menagerie Parts 1 & 2"), because technically it does not exist within the canon. If Christopher Pike hadn't showed up in "Menagerie," he wouldn't exist (until the the movie reboot) in the franchise, much as the even more unofficial Robert April doesn't (although the captain featured in Gene Roddenberry's original pitch does show up in The Animated Series, which itself is always considered quasi-canon). This also technically counts (and doesn't) as the first appearance of Spock, the only holdover between first and second ("Where No Man Has Gone Before") pilots (even though the studio specifically asked for him to be eliminated!).
Anyway, so the story is exactly the same as later featured in "Menagerie." Pike becomes a prisoner of the reality-warping Talosians, and his only companion is the mysterious Vina (who also gives us our first alluring glimpse of the Orions). Pike eventually figures out what's going on and bullies his way to victory against these first of all theoretically-superior-but-really-morally-inferior aliens.
I wouldn't have minded had this become Star Trek. Not very theoretically, nothing that Star Trek ultimately became (except for Spock) would have happened, of course. Pike actor Jeffrey Hunter was dead by the end of the '60s, for instance (died a few months shy of the first moon landing, in fact). But this was not such a bad show.
The character of Dr. Boyce might have been interesting. He wasn't just the chief medical officer (and close friend of Pike), but also ship's bartender, leading to such characters later in the franchise as Guinan, Vic Fontaine, and even Neelix (not to mention the never-officially-seen Chef from Enterprise). Number One, portrayed by Majel Barrett, would have made history simply being a woman. Pike himself would have been more like the Kirk of the early movies (Motion Picture, Wrath of Khan, to be precise), wondering about the future of his career, than the headstrong Kirk we know and love. NBC rejected "The Cage" because it was too cerebral, and it's easy to see that Pike was a major reason why the pilot was the way it was.
Spock? He's a little different here, not quite the Vulcan we know (but still portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, for the record). But hey, Spock's still, already, of course he is, present!
On its own merit, as well as for curiosity's sake, I recommend this episode, in its original form. But you can stand to live with it, for any number of reasons. For completists of the series, perhaps.
franchise * series * essential * character
notable guest-stars:
Malachi Throne
Memory Alpha summary
It's hard to recommend this originally unaired first pilot (later incorporated into "The Menagerie Parts 1 & 2"), because technically it does not exist within the canon. If Christopher Pike hadn't showed up in "Menagerie," he wouldn't exist (until the the movie reboot) in the franchise, much as the even more unofficial Robert April doesn't (although the captain featured in Gene Roddenberry's original pitch does show up in The Animated Series, which itself is always considered quasi-canon). This also technically counts (and doesn't) as the first appearance of Spock, the only holdover between first and second ("Where No Man Has Gone Before") pilots (even though the studio specifically asked for him to be eliminated!).
Anyway, so the story is exactly the same as later featured in "Menagerie." Pike becomes a prisoner of the reality-warping Talosians, and his only companion is the mysterious Vina (who also gives us our first alluring glimpse of the Orions). Pike eventually figures out what's going on and bullies his way to victory against these first of all theoretically-superior-but-really-morally-inferior aliens.
I wouldn't have minded had this become Star Trek. Not very theoretically, nothing that Star Trek ultimately became (except for Spock) would have happened, of course. Pike actor Jeffrey Hunter was dead by the end of the '60s, for instance (died a few months shy of the first moon landing, in fact). But this was not such a bad show.
The character of Dr. Boyce might have been interesting. He wasn't just the chief medical officer (and close friend of Pike), but also ship's bartender, leading to such characters later in the franchise as Guinan, Vic Fontaine, and even Neelix (not to mention the never-officially-seen Chef from Enterprise). Number One, portrayed by Majel Barrett, would have made history simply being a woman. Pike himself would have been more like the Kirk of the early movies (Motion Picture, Wrath of Khan, to be precise), wondering about the future of his career, than the headstrong Kirk we know and love. NBC rejected "The Cage" because it was too cerebral, and it's easy to see that Pike was a major reason why the pilot was the way it was.
Spock? He's a little different here, not quite the Vulcan we know (but still portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, for the record). But hey, Spock's still, already, of course he is, present!
On its own merit, as well as for curiosity's sake, I recommend this episode, in its original form. But you can stand to live with it, for any number of reasons. For completists of the series, perhaps.
franchise * series * essential * character
notable guest-stars:
Malachi Throne
Memory Alpha summary
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