120 lines
5.6 KiB
Plaintext
120 lines
5.6 KiB
Plaintext
WARNING: The following post contains spoiler information about this week's
|
||
TNG episode, "The Emissary", for those who haven't seen it (most of you,
|
||
probably). Be warned.
|
||
|
||
I mean it, now.
|
||
|
||
Made it? Good. Now we can chat.
|
||
|
||
This, folks, is GOOD stuff.
|
||
|
||
As I recall, many people who saw Suzie Plakson as the Vulcan doctor in
|
||
"The Schizoid Man" made lots of positive comments about her (only a few of
|
||
which were about her acting ability, but...:-)). Well, guess what?
|
||
|
||
SHE'S BACK!!
|
||
|
||
But, before I continue, here's a brief synopsis. There were two plots, but
|
||
both of them revolved completely around Ms. Plakson's character, the half-
|
||
human, half-Klingon ambassador, Kelar (sp?).
|
||
|
||
"Framing" Plot: (since it's first, sort of)
|
||
|
||
Ambassador Kelar arrives on board the Enterprise...in a Class-A probe. Seems
|
||
that Starfleet was in a real hurry to get her on board ship, and the probe
|
||
was the only Warp-9 capable transport around. Pity...since the probe is
|
||
just barely capable of accommodating a human body. The ride's a bit
|
||
cramped.
|
||
|
||
As it turns out, the _reason_ she's on board ship (which we don't find out until
|
||
she's briefing the crew...Starfleet kept this very hush-hush) is that a Klingon
|
||
"sleeper-ship" of sorts (designation mine) is about to wake up. The crew were
|
||
put into cryogenic sleep 75 years previous, and have no way of knowing that
|
||
the Fed-Klin war is over. They're also in range of several minimally-armed
|
||
Federation outposts. And, as if this weren't bad enough, the reason a
|
||
Federation ship has to go, and not a Klingon vessel, is that the closest
|
||
ship, the Prang, is a full two days behind...far too late. This is a good
|
||
definition of a BAD THING.
|
||
|
||
Kelar recommends destroying them, saying it's the only chance if they've already
|
||
awakened. Picard cannot accept that, and puts Kelar and Worf together to work
|
||
on options. An option is eventually found, but I don't plan to spoil it.
|
||
However, Picard's pairing off Worf and Kelar is very interesting, because of...
|
||
|
||
MAIN PLOT: (tee-hee. I'm so sneaky.)
|
||
|
||
Worf is not particularly happy with Kelar when he sees her again. Yes, that's
|
||
right: 'again'. Apparently, the two of them had a bit of a relationship about
|
||
six years earlier. Details are not gone into, but it appears that they broke
|
||
up because neither of them thought the other was ready to commit (or something
|
||
like that...ask them.)
|
||
|
||
After a couple of spats, Kelar stalks off to the holodeck, and loads Worf's
|
||
calisthenics. Then, Worf comes in to the middle of this, and, in response to
|
||
her remark of "not much of an exercise", says only, "Computer: Load Level Two."
|
||
Eep.
|
||
|
||
The calisthenics go well...very well. The two lovers reunite, and have one
|
||
hell of a passionate scene, or so it's implied. The camera cuts on the two of
|
||
them with hands locked so tightly around each other's hand that they're
|
||
literally bleeding, and then we come back from commercial with Kelar saying
|
||
that, apparently, calisthenics come in many forms, some more interesting than
|
||
others. Well, *I'm* not going to try to picture it, anyway.
|
||
|
||
This time, it seems, Worf's not going to make the same mistake he made six
|
||
years earlier. He begins to recite an oath, and Kelar freezes upon hearing it.
|
||
It is the Klingon oath of marriage, and she's not prepared to go that far.
|
||
From there, things get very antsy, but again, I shan't spoil the resolution.
|
||
(particularly since this synopsis is getting VERY long)
|
||
|
||
Now, to some comments.
|
||
|
||
First of all, the music in this episode should by rights get about a 28, not
|
||
just a 10. I'd never really heard most of it before, and Jerry Goldsmith
|
||
put together some wonderful themes. Truly exquisite, but I can't really
|
||
discuss it properly.
|
||
|
||
Secondly, Suzie Plakson does a wonderful half-Klingon. I suppose they made
|
||
her half human so she could have a "human" sense of humor. It works, folks;
|
||
it works. I'm personally wondering if she's going to pull a Mark Lenard and
|
||
play a Romulan next time. I wouldn't mind.
|
||
|
||
The opening credits said that this was written "from an unpublished story".
|
||
That's the first time I've ever seen that credit, but if they can keep up
|
||
this level of quality, I have no objections.
|
||
|
||
Incidentally, Worf looks FANTASTIC in old Klingon garb. How do we get to
|
||
find this out? I'll never tell.
|
||
|
||
If you liked the poker game at the beginning of "The Measure of a Man", you'll
|
||
love the one that begins "The Emissary". This time, the players are Riker,
|
||
Data, Pulaski, Geordi, and WORF. Worf plays an...unusual game of poker, to
|
||
say the least. Share and Enjoy.
|
||
|
||
Well, I'm just about done here. I'll just say that this is one of the more
|
||
suspenseful episodes I've seen, despite the fact that the Enterprise isn't in
|
||
any real danger. (I mean, one Bird of Prey from the twenty-third century
|
||
isn't going to be much of a threat to twenty-fourth century state-of-the-art,
|
||
after all.) I think you'll agree. I certainly hope so.
|
||
|
||
Now, for some of those rating thingies:
|
||
|
||
Plot: 9.5. Not quite perfect, but mighty, mighty close.
|
||
Plot Handling: 10. Bee-yoo-tee-ful.
|
||
Characterization: 10. Would've been only a nine, but the opening poker
|
||
game brought it up.
|
||
Technical: 10. Everything made sense, and the music would've brought it up
|
||
even if it didn't.
|
||
|
||
TOTAL: 9.9---> 10. Keep it up, guys...keep it up.
|
||
|
||
NEXT WEEK: A rerun. Of "The Dauphin", no less. I'll wait for the week after.
|
||
|
||
Tim Lynch (Cornell's first Astronomy Major)
|
||
BITNET: H52Y@CRNLVAX5
|
||
INTERNET: H52Y@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
|
||
UUCP: ...!rochester!cornell!vax5.cit.cornell.edu!h52y
|
||
"Here we are, the perfect pair...Beauty and the Beast. Mind you, if anybody
|
||
calls you beast, I'll rip their lungs out."
|
||
---The Joker, to Vicki Vale
|