Remembering Rene Auberjonois, Dorothy Fontana, Michael J Pollard. Robert Walker Jr., and Michael Lamper

Within the space of a few weeks, the truth of mortality has hit the Trek family quite hard. On November 21 we lost Michael J. Pollard, who guest starred in the Original Series episode "Miri". Then, on December 2, legendary Trek writer and story-teller Dorothy Fontana (usually known as D.C. Fontana) passed away. December 5 saw the passing of Robert Walker, best known as Charlie X. On December 8, we were hit with a double-whammy. Michael Lamper, husband of TNG star Marina Sirtis passed away the night before. Finally, our beloved Changeling and Constable Odo was lost as Rene Auberjonois lost his battle with lung cancer. As I did a few months ago when we lost three members of the Trek family in one day, I will pay a small tribute to each of those who we have recently lost, but focus on the one who I had the most interactions with. I mourn the loss of all, so this is not meant to lessen or disrespect any. I just have more of a connection with one than the others.

Dorothy Catherine Fontana brought us many classic tales in Star Trek. Among them were "Charlie X", "Journey to Babel", "Encounter at Farpoint", "Dax", and my favorite episode of the animated series, "Yesteryear". Having to hide the fact that she was a woman, she often used either abbreviations of her name (D.C.) or a pseudonym. She had a way of understanding the characters, and while some of her work was edited to the point where she was unhappy, she often took the high road and did not try to be overly critical of others. In the DS9 episode "Far Beyond the Stars" the character of Kay Eaton was created as an homage to Dorothy. In addition to Star Trek, Fontana had written for several television shows, including Babylon 5, the 6 Million Dollar Man, and Earth: Final Conflict. She passed away at the age of 80.

Michael J. Pollard also passed away at the age of 80. He is best known to Trek fans as Jahn, leader of a group of feral children known as the Onlies. He brought a sense of innocence savaged by loss to his character. Pollard had several credits to his acting resume, including an episode of "Lost in Space", as well as roles in films such as "Roxanne", "Scrooged", and "Bonnie and Clyde", for which he earned two Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nomination. 

Robert Walker Jr. passed away on December 5 at the age of 79. He was born into a family of actors and received a Golden Globe Award in 1963. In Star Trek, he played the troubled young Charlie Evans in the first season episode "Charlie X". Robert, though older than Charlie was supposed to be, found a way to walk a fine balance between youthful innocence and darkness. He brought an intensity to the role that was captivating. He also guest-starred on many notable television series, including "Bonanza", "Murder, She Wrote", "The Six Million Dollar Man", and "Dallas".

Michael Lamper was an accomplished rock musician. He had played with a number of groups and artists, including Quiet Riot and the Allman Brothers. He was a background actor for Star Trek, appearing as an Acamarian gatherer in the 3rd season TNG episode "The Vengence Factor". Most notably, he is remembered for being the husband of Marina Sirtis, TNG's Deanna Troi. In the world of Hollywood where marriage is seen as an often fleeting thing, he and Marina were married for 27 years. I had the chance to meet Marina on a couple occasions, and when asked about her husband, she spoke warmly and affectionately of him. My heart goes out to her on her loss. Michael was 64 years old.

Finally, I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rene Auberjonois at the age of 79 on December 8. He played Ezral on an episode of Enterprise, Colonel West on Star Trek VI, but most importantly he was Odo on all seven seasons of Deep Space Nine. In addition to his roles in Trek, he had starred in the 1970 movie MASH, where he originated the role of Father Mulcahy. Aside from a lengthy list of television and film credits, Rene was a regular on the 80s sitcom "Benson", with Voyager regular Ethan Phillips, and the legal drama "Boston Legal", alongside William Shatner. He was also an accomplished voice actor. My favorite of his was in Disney's "The Little Mermaid" as Chef Louis, the nemesis of Sebastian the crab. He was also one of the many main cast members in Star Trek to direct episodes. He directed eight episodes for DS9, including "Waltz", "Prophet Motive", and "Ferengi Love Songs". Rene leaves behind a wife of over 50 years and two children. 

The character of Odo truly showcased Rene's talents as an actor. He was able to emote so much through the several layers of latex. He brought warmth and depth to a character that could have easily become two-dimensional. He brought forth emotions that ranged from rage to surliness, from compassion to tenderness. He also brought out the best in costars. In the last few days, many of them have shared how gracious of an actor he was, and how he motivated them to always bring their best efforts to their own performances. 

I have had the privilege of talking to Rene on three different occasions. Each time I was impressed by his warmth and generosity with his time. While I will always look at Odo as his greatest role, there is one that holds a special place in my heart. In 1989 I fell in love with the Disney animated movie "The Little Mermaid". I loved the songs and the humor, and there was one character in particular that stood out for me. Immediately after watching the song "Les Poissons" I hit the rewind button and watched it three more times. I was thrilled by the silliness and glee of the character of Chef Louis, and decided as a boy that if I could ever play any character, it would be him. Several years later, as an adult and a new father, my wish came true. The high school that I teach at was putting on a production of "The Little Mermaid", and I was asked to be a special guest star as Chef Louis. I had a blast!

A year after that, Rene was appearing at a local convention, and we had to go. I had already had an autographed picture of Odo, so we had him sign a picture of Chef Louis for my then two year old daughter. She was so excited to meet a Disney character that she wanted to be ready, so we dressed her in a "Little Mermaid" T-shirt and she brought along her stuffed toy of Sebastian the crab, the chef's nemesis from the film. When Rene saw her, he beamed and went totally into character, claiming how beautiful my daughter looked and how excited he was to see "ze crab" again. He then launched into a rendition of "Les Poissons" just for her. My daughter could not stop smiling the biggest smile I had ever seen. That picture still hangs in her bedroom. A few years later I was at the Las Vegas convention and stopped by his autograph table where he was happily chatting with anyone who wanted to chat. We struck up a conversation and I mentioned the role that we shared. He was so gracious towards me when I thanked him for giving one of my favorite Disney characters a voice. 

In spite of his accomplishments as an actor, that is what I will remember him for the most. He was an excellent actor, but he was more importantly an excellent person. He was kind, patient, giving, and cheerful. He often sponsored a variety of charities. At the 2016 Vegas convention I last saw him at, he was selling memorabilia to support Doctors Without Borders, a charity that he felt connected to through his role in "MASH". He was always ready to laugh and joke with whoever he was around. I saw his performances shine, no matter how bad or great the show or movie was. He was a consummate professional and he knew how to treat the people around him. 

May you find peace in the Great Link, good sir. We are better for having known you, and your contribution to the world was a great and worthy one.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of Star Trek Discovery (Season 2)

Circumstances beyond my control had me set aside my Trek blog, and my thoughts on Discovery's second season is long overdue. I had a good time watching this season, and felt that in a lot of ways the show reconnected with its roots. My review of the first season was well received, so I thought I would stick with the format and do the same for season 2. So, without further ado, here we go!

The Good

• Captain Christopher Pike - Anson Mount was, for me at least, the standout star of the season. He breathed life into a character that for too long has been more of a footnote of what might have been. Captain Pike was, as I am sure you are aware, the first captain of the Enterprise in the original pilot episode "The Cage". First portrayed by the late Jeffery Hunter, Pike was supposed to be the leading man. When the network demanded that the show be completely overhauled, Pike was out. He was brought back in two-part story "The Menagerie" where it was revealed that he was severely injured in an accident. The character was brought back in the J.J. Abrams reboot films and played well by Bruce Greenwood, but Anson Mount's portrayal gave us a captain that lived up to all the hype that has been given throughout Trek's history. I loved how his fate was foreshadowed, and it added even more depth to an already beloved character.

• Secondary Character Backstories - As listed in "The Bad" from season 1, I mentioned how I would have liked some more information on some of the secondary characters, such as Airiam, Demeter, Owosekum, and Rhys. Well, we got them, or at least for some of them. We learned little things about some of them (past relationships, some family history, and even some of the trials that they have faced in life), and I enjoyed that. Yet, while we were able to get more from these interesting characters along the lines of dialogue and past history, I couldn't help but feel that we should be getting more. Having said this, it was a step in the right direction, and I appreciated what was given, but there was something about this development that gave me cause for concern, but more on that in a moment.

• Reconnecting with the Roots of Trek - One of the biggest complaints and concerns voiced about Discovery was that it just did not feel like Star Trek, even though it was set in the era of the original series timeline. With the arrival of Pike and the Enterprise (complete with the more familiar, yet updated, colored uniforms) and moving away from the war, we had a return to what many felt like was the way that Trek used to be. Yes, we still have one continuous story being told over multiple episodes, but that is more of a product of television in the current day of binge-watching on demand. The mood was lighter than last season, with more time to explore the happier side of the human condition. Season 1 dealt with war, so the mood had to be darker. Here, we see more social interactions and care and compassion. As an example, look at the episode "An Obol for Charon" and the strong bond depicted between Burnham and Saru. This is what Trek is all about. We also had footage from "The Cage" and a re-introduction to the Talosians and Vina, the woman who fell in love with Pike. 

• She's Number One! - Majel Barrett was the original Number One, Pike's unnamed female first officer. For Discovery, she was played by Rebecca Romijn. This was a brilliant casting choice, and Romijn was fantastic. She channeled Majel Barrett's take on the character well, making it her own but still staying true to the essence of the original. It reminded me of Karl Urban's portrayal of McCoy in the Kelvinverse films. And, like Captain Pike, Number One was given more depth to her character. I loved how everyone still called her "Number One", and only once was a name for her given (Una, which could have been her first name or a nickname, depending on who you ask), which continued the secretive tradition of her character. 

The Bad

• The Development Towards Death - In other popular television programs today that feature a large ensemble of characters facing life-or-death struggles, there seems to be a recurring theme. As some of the secondary characters begin to be developed, it soon became apparent that the motivation was to build up the audience's connection to that character so that when said character was killed, the emotional payoff would be greater. This has been reported in many shows, such as "Lost" and "The Walking Dead". I mentioned in "The Good" section that I liked that the background characters were brought into the foreground more, and the one that received the most attention was Airiam. We learned that she was human who was given cybernetic augmentation after a devastating accident that claimed the life of her husband. Learning about this was wonderful, and then they had her corrupted by Control and subsequently killed. Now, I am not opposed to killing off popular characters in order to elicit an emotional response from the fans, but I am worried that Discovery is heading down a frustrating road. Yes, I want the supporting characters developed, and no, they should not be immune to tragedy and even death. I just have a problem with building up a character with the sole purpose of killing them off being over-used. First, it becomes lazy on the part of the writers. Second, it is predictable. We as the audience will spot it coming as soon as Owo or Rhys gets more attention being given. And finally, the more it is used, the less effective it becomes in eliciting the desired emotional response. I hope that this was more of a one-and-done use of the plot device, giving us a chance to develop the other characters without it meaning their eventual demise. 

• Sometimes Dead is Better - Doctor Hugh Culber was a favorite character of mine, and his surprising death in Season 1 broke my heart. Hearing that Culber would return in one way or another left me feeling hopeful about him, but I have to admit that I was left feeling confused and underwhelmed when it was almost all said and done. I found his resurrection to be odd. By the end of the season, I was still scratching my head with why and how Culber was back. As much as I loved the character, and as intrigued I am with what this means for one of my favorite relationships on the show, I can't help but feel that maybe he should have stayed deceased. It is my hope that in the third season this will feel better.

• Section 31 - What I loved about Section 31 when it was first introduced in Deep Space Nine was that it was a covert, rogue element of Starfleet that was hidden in myth and legend. It worked in the shadows and was unknown to many. In this season, it became a branch of Starfleet that almost everyone knew about. Thankfully, with Control decimating Section 31, it appears that it has been pushed back into the shadows, and thereby staying true to canon, but I still felt that by making it such a prominent and established organization that acted in the open with its own fleet of vessels, I felt that the menace that was Section 31 was severely lessened. 

The Ugly

• Spock's Beard - This is more tongue-in-cheek, but wow, that beard of Spock's was distracting at times. Yes, I know, he was on the run and had spent time in prison and couldn't get to a razor, but it was so unkempt that it just made me laugh at times. I was happy in the final episode when the character was finally able to shave it off. 

• Trolls, Trolls, and More Trolls - Well, I had hoped that the second season of Discovery would lead to fewer trolls stalking the internet, and yet I should not be surprised that as the second season rolled out the trolls were still there. Some of them seemed to have left, but the ones that remain are as vocal as ever. I should point out that this is not a slam on those who offer valid criticisms and bring up some good points. Nor does it slam those who hate the show yet let those who like it live in peace. No, this is for those who for some strange reason have nothing better to do with their lives than go full nuclear every time somebody has the audacity to post that they like the show. Go away trolls, and in the immortal words of William Shatner: "Get a life!"

Remembering Aron Eisenberg, Jack Donner, and Sid Haig

September 21, 2019 was a sad day for Star Trek. We lost three actors who contributed to our beloved franchise: Jack Donner, Sid Haig, and Aron Eisenberg. 

Jack Donner was 90 years old. In the Trek universe, he was best known as the Romulan subcommander Tal in the Original Series episode "The Enterprise Incident". He also appeared as a Vulcan priest in the Enterprise episodes "Home" and "Kir'Sharra". Outside of Star Trek he founded the Oxford Theatre in Los Angeles, an acting school that saw among its many students the likes of Don Johnson and Craig T. Nelson. The intensity he brought to the role of Tal helped establish the lasting impression that the Romulans would have in Trek. 

Sid Haig was 80 years old. In Star Trek, he was the First Lawgiver in the episode "Return of the Archons". Outside of Trek, he will likely be known for his role of Captain Spaulding in the horror classic "House of 1000 Corpses" and has a long resume of horror and B films.

Aron Eisenberg was 50 years old, and leaves behind a wife, Malissa Longo, and two sons, Lawrence and Christopher. He is best known for his role as Nog, son of Rom, nephew of Quark, and the first Ferengi to enter Starfleet. He also played Kar, a Kazon in an episode of Voyager. He was also an avid photographer and had written short stories for the popular fantasy series Dragonlance. 

As much as I would like to make this an equal tribute to all three actors, each one having given much to the acting profession, I feel I can only do some justice to Aron. I had the opportunity to meet with him at the Las Vegas Star Trek convention in 2016. So, with all the respect to Mr Dinner and Mr Haig, the remainder of this post will be focused on Aron's contribution to Star Trek. 

Aron Eisenberg was kind and generous with his fans. He was very active in the convention circuits, and I will fondly remember the time I got to speak with him. I asked him about his writing for Dragonlance, a series I loved as a teenager. It turned out that we had that in common, as he mentioned that while he was a youth he was often in the hospital (Aron was born with one kidney, and had two transplants in his life), and the Dragonlance series was something that he found solace in. He mentioned that he was discussing the possibility of a live action film or TV series of the Dragonlance saga, and that he hoped to play the popular character of Tasselhoff Burrfoot. That, incidentally, would have been a perfect casting choice. 

It is always difficult to separate an actor and their most famous roles. For Aron, he will always be Nog to most of us. When we were first introduced to Nog, he was getting into trouble with the law (i.e. Odo), and he served as a reason for Sisko to convince/blackmail Quark to remain on the station. Little did we know how much this character would mean for the show and its cast of delightful characters. Nog quickly became friends with Jake, and the two got into their fair share of mischief across the station. As they grew up, it ended up being Nog who would go to Starfleet Academy, and Jake would stay on the station. Nog became a cadet, then an Ensign, and finally Lieutenant as Sisko's last official act.

His character, while only appearing in 44 episodes, became so heavily developed. Some would argue that he had better development than Jake Sisko did (although the two characters were often closely connected in each other's develpment). One of my favorite Nog episodes/stories was in "Heart of Stone", where Nog tried to convince Commander Sisko to sponsor his application to Starfleet Academy. This scene was the first time that we saw some great depth in Nog's character and was the first of many powerful performances by Aron. His desire to join, stemming from his own father not living up to Ferengi standards and not using his engineering talents for better use, pushed Nog to become more than his father was. It was the final push he needed for Sisko to grant him his desire, and off Nog went to the academy.

It's hard to talk about Nog without mentioning his personal loss during the Dominion War. In the episode "The Siege of AR-558", after months of exemplary military service, Nog was severely injured by the Jem'Hadar. His injury resulted in the loss of his leg. As important as that episode was to Nog's character, it only sets us up for the most powerful Nog episode in "It's Only a Paper Moon". It is this episode where Nog faces the emotional trauma that his physical trauma incurred upon him. In a rare episode where the focus was on two secondary characters (Nog and holographic crooner Vic Fontaine), Nog takes us on a journey of self-healing. We see the impact on traumatic events and how easy it is to lose ourselves in the search to escape the pain. Nog brought the realities of war close to home for us, and started some important discussion of PTSD. Nog not only survived the horrors of war, but the horrors of war's consequences. Again, Aron's abilities as an actor shone like a bright star in this episode, and James Darren as Vic Fontaine plays brilliantly with Eisenberg here. This episode, more than any other, showcased Aron's abilities as an actor and artist.

Circling back to my conversation with Aron three years ago, I think about how we parted. He thanked me for asking about the projects he was working on. I thanked him for his contribution to Star Trek. I feel that represents how the relationship between him and his fans was. We thank him for his contributions to a beloved character, and he thanks us for our love towards him. While I only had a brief glimpse into who Aron Eisenberg was, I feel confident from the tributes that have poured in over the last few days that Aron Eisenberg brought love to many around him. He will be missed at conventions and fan expos, and he will surely be missed by his close friends and family. 

May you navigate the Great River in peace.

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Episode Review - The Masterpiece Society (Next Generation, Season 5)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Overview – The Enterprise is observing a stellar core fragment and discover that it is about to collide with an inhabited planet populated with genetically-engineered humans. As Picard and his crew discuss ways to save the colony, Deanna Troi forms a romantic relationship with one of their leaders, Aaron Connor. When the crisis is averted, the crew learn that their presence has caused unintentionally another problem among this “perfect” society.

Score: 4/10 – Oh Troi, why can’t the writers find a good romance story for you? “The Masterpiece Society” does try to give our beloved counsellor some attention in the romance department, but the spark and chemistry just do not seem to work here. The character of Aaron Connor is a tad on the dull side, and other than being physically attractive, I am not sure why Troi falls for the guy. The colony of genetically-engineered humans are just a bit too perfect, and they are not very interesting. The story moves along slowly, and it is only when the core fragment issue is dealt with that the interest begins to pick up. Hannah Bates (the first of three Trek roles for actress Dey Young) is sympathetic enough, and Ron Canada (also making his first of three Trek characters) is effective as Martin Benbeck, the representative of keeping the status quo. Even though these two characters are effective, they are unable to bring a lot of interest into the colonists. There are some good points, such as Picard’s debate with Connor, but you have to slog through a lot of boredom to get there.

Relevance – 0 points. This is one of those episodes where they do refer to some things that are recurring themes in Star Trek, mainly the thoughts towards genetically engineered humans. While this is a recurring theme throughout Star Trek, the events surrounding this episode are self-contained. We hear Picard and Connor banter the concept back and forth, but no mention of specific examples are given. In essence one can skip this episode and not miss anything relevant to the overall discussion of this theme, so it adds nothing.

Continuity – 3 points. Character continuity is intact here, although I was wondering about the likelihood of Troi falling for Connor. She seems to fall for the most unlikely men as apart from being physically attractive, there doesn’t seem to be anything that gives her a reason to fall for him. When I look at her track record, however, I think it fits her pattern. I particularly enjoyed Geordi in this episode, as he gets rightfully defensive about the colony’s attitude towards people with physical imperfections. His glee at the fact that his VISOR technology provides the key to saving them is appropriate. Story continuity does make it, though again I found the relationship between Troi and Connor to be a bit forced. I will also concede a point for universe continuity.

Character Development – 2 points. Troi is the focus, but this relationship does little to advance her character. Geordi also gets some good moments, but nothing that really helps discover things that we didn’t already know. It’s enough to score a couple points here, but that is about it. Again, if you miss this episode, you do not miss much.

Social Commentary – 1 point. The quest for perfection is shown in this colony (well, at least on paper; they really didn’t come across as anything but regular humans). There is also the idea that interaction with cultures external to your own can have unexpected influences. In all there were twenty-three colonists who wanted to leave the colony, creating a large disruption among those who remained. Still, how this concept was discussed really didn’t leave much for the viewer to sink their teeth into, so only a single point can be scored here.

Cool Stuff – 0 points. A dull episode where the most interesting guest characters are foils to a very bland character. John Snyder, who plays Aaron, has a much more interesting character in his first Trek appearance as the Romulan Bochra. I don’t lay blame on the actor for this. I think the character was very one-dimensional and bland, and even the most talented actors are limited in what they can do with a role such as this.

Rank – Ensign (10 points). This is a bit of a turkey episode from TNG’s fifth season. It really does not do enough to make you care about anything until almost the end of the episode. There are some good points to it, so do not give it too much of hard time, but if you choose to skip it, I won’t judge you poorly because of it.

If you would like to read other reviews from the Next Generation, click this link.

If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do. 

Episode Review - Blood Oath (Deep Space Nine: Season 2)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Overview – Jadzia Dax is approached by three Klingon warriors: Kang, Koloth, and Kor. They were friends of Dax’s previous host, Curzon, and had taken a blood oath with him to find the Albino, a ruthless villain who had murdered their sons. Dax still feels an obligation to assist her friends in fulfilling their oath but is torn emotionally over the fact that she might have to take a life to do so. While Curzon had no such qualms about that possibility, Jadzia has not experienced that yet. When she discovers the truth about Kang’s mission, however, she is faced with a tough decision that could result in her own death.

Score: 9/10 – One of the DS9’s many strengths is how it was able to reach back to what had come before and successfully incorporate it into its own story. “Blood Oath” is an ideal example of this. Where TNG successfully brought in beloved characters from the past (Sarek, Scotty, and Spock), DS9’s complexity allowed for some really compelling stories. Here we see three former adversaries of Kirk in the form of Kang (“Day of the Dove”), Koloth (“The Trouble with Tribbles”), and Kor (“Errand of Mercy”). Each one is portrayed by the actor who first played them over 25 years earlier (Michael Ansara, William Campbell, and John Colicos respectively), and their characters have taken on the legendary status of Dahar Masters. The story, one of honoring an old oath, gives great depth and development to Jadzia, and it has an almost Three Musketeer feel to it. While this is a story used to develop Jadzia, it is truly a nostalgia tour de force that highlights three popular Klingons from the Original series. There is so much good stuff going on in this episode, from the humor to the action to the emotional gauntlet that Jadzia runs. I liked how they went with the updated Klingon look, and though these men are much older than when they last appeared, they look magnificent and powerful. Terry Farrell does a superb job and truly breathes some life into Jadzia’s character, the results of which will be felt for several seasons to come. The action is gritty and fun, and the Albino makes a convincing villain. Some have wondered if the Albino is also a Klingon, and there are some interesting comics and novels that add to his background. It is the mystery of the Albino that is the source of what is really my only criticism of this episode. I would have liked to know a little bit more about him to help make his involvement more impactful. That is, in truth, a very minor critique, and the episode as a whole is definitely a strong one. It is one of those stories that showed viewers that even in the second season, Deep Space Nine meant serious business.

Relevance – 3 points. That you take three popular Klingon characters from the Original series, update their look, and in two of their cases give them a glorious death in battle is more than enough to score a point here. Kor, the sole survivor of the three, will go on to appear in two more episodes of DS9, so that will score a point as well. This also marks a major development in Jadzia’s character, explaining a lot of Dax’s history with Klingons which becomes integral to much of the future’s Klingon storylines in the series. Full marks for relevance with this episode.

Continuity – 3 points. Character continuity is most intriguing here. Minor details, such as Odo showing a casual attitude towards Quark’s safety, are fun. Jadzia turning to both Sisko, her mentor, and Kira, someone who has had to kill before, makes a lot of sense for her. That she does not take the killing of someone else lightly is very appropriate for Jadzia. Sisko’s and Kira’s responses are also right in line with the characters. Story continuity works well here, with the writers providing us sufficient details in the dialogue to help us understand how these three Klingon legends fit into the current Trek universe. Speaking of universe, the fact they went with the (at the time) current look for Klingons helped secure the point here. Yes, the look of the Klingons has changed since the days of Kirk and Spock, and, as Discovery has shown us, they will continue to change. They could have gone with the classic look, but that would not have fit. Good thing Enterprise would provide us the reason for the different looks.

Character Development – 2 points. As previously mentioned, this is a major turning point for Jadzia. Her closeness to Klingon culture is established here, and lots of background to her character is provided. It is in this episode that the concept of Jadzia, the warrior, is fleshed out. Her intimate knowledge and experience with Klingons will go onto playing a key role in Klingon-centered episodes like “Way of the Warrior” and “Soldiers of the Empire” and gives a lot of weight behind her romantic relationship with Worf. Having said that, much of the focus is on her Klingon friends, and the rest of the main cast are only used to further the story. In fact, three main characters (Bashir, O’Brien, and Jake) do not even appear in this episode. This means that I can only award two points in this category.

Social Commentary – 2 points. How does one prepare themselves to take the life of another? To what extent does loyalty to friends and promises made to them supersede one’s personal integrity? These are two questions that this episode asks. Jadzia has, as far as we can tell, never killed someone in close combat before. She has to come to grips with that as she also has to find it within herself to honor the blood oath her former host made. It had already been established both in this and previous episodes that the actions and responsibilities of a previous host do not carry forward, but for Jadzia this extends beyond the host and taps directly into the symbiont. Jadzia is torn between her loyalty to Starfleet and her loyalty to her friends. For many of us, we can find ourselves in similar situations (although it is unlikely to involve life-or-death outcomes). A test of such loyalty can be a defining moment for us, and often we do not escape the situation unscathed.

Cool Stuff – 2 points. Take three popular adversaries from fan-favorite episodes that aired a quarter-century ago. Have the original actors reprise those roles while adding depth and background to their stories. Update them to the current look of the species they belong to, and you get a very cool moment indeed. I am also scoring a point for the Albino. While I do think they could have added more to his character, his look and demeanor were very cool.

Rank – Admiral (21 points). DS9’s second season was markedly stronger than the first, and this is a prime reason as to why. For fans of the original series, we are given a gracious and generous dose of nostalgia. For fans of action, we are given some great hand-to-hand battles. For fans of Dax, this is a must-see episode. Add to that the return of Kor in future episodes, and you get a wonderful episode.

If you would like to read other reviews from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, please click the following link.

If you would like to read an episode review from any of the Trek series, click the following link to get to the series catalog. If the episode you want reviewed has not been done yet, then feel free to request it in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Episode Review - Day of the Dove (Original Series, Season 3)

For those who are new to my episode reviews, you can find the post where I establish my point criteria here.

Overview – The Enterprise is responding to a distress call from a colony located at Beta XII-A. Upon arriving at the planet, they find no evidence of a colony ever existing. To compound the issue, a Klingon ship soon arrives, also responding to a distress call and heavily damaged. Kang, the Klingon commander, captures Kirk and his party, during which Chekov reveals an intense hatred towards Klingons for the death of his brother, Piotr. Upon returning to the Enterprise, the Klingons are captured, and the survivors of their ship beamed aboard. Soon the Klingons attempt to take control of the ship, and mysterious circumstances leave an equal number of Starfleet and Klingon officers on the ship. Bladed weapons such as swords appear and soon the two crews find themselves in a bloody conflict. As they fight each other with neither side able to gain the advantage, a strange ball of energy seems to be the root cause, feeding off the negative emotions from the two groups.

Score: 8/10 – A strong episode that introduces the character of Kang, one of the more popular Klingons from the original series that will appear in future episodes of Deep Space Nine and Voyager. He is portrayed by Michael Ansara, a brilliant actor who embraces this role with great energy. The story has action, humor, and suspense and delivers all of them in a well paced manner. It lives out the dreams of many of us who like the man-to-man conflict scenario of having equal numbers of soldiers fighting hand-to-hand. The energy entity behind all this is a clever special effect that feeds on strong, negative emotions such as hatred. There is a lot of good stuff in this episode that I will cover throughout the review but suffice it to say that this is a classic episode for a lot of reasons. I did find the ending to be a bit lacking in its delivery, but overall this is a memorable and entertaining episode.

Relevance – 2 points. Scoring a point for the introduction of Kang, one of Star Trek’s most popular Klingons from the Original series. He is a formidable adversary for Kirk, and it appears from their dialogue at the beginning of the episode that the two are already familiar with each other. It would have been interesting to have explored that backstory. I am scoring a second point for the mention of the Klingon-Federation peace treaty. I am not certain if it is referring to the Klingon war that was shown in the first season of “Discovery” or the Organian-imposed peace treaty, but there have been more than a few peace treaties between the two forces.

Continuity - 3 points. Everything checks out in this category. Story-wise the plot makes sense and follows a simple yet well-executed plan. Universe continuity works. Once again, Kirk has trouble with some pesky energy-beings that he has to find a way to outsmart. Finally, the character continuity is good. Some may argue that Chekov seeking revenge for a fallen imaginary brother violates it, but it is established that he had been manipulated by the entity and was given false memories. It is also significant to note that much of the crew’s abnormal behavior is due to the alien influence, most notably McCoy’s thirst for violence. We even see flashes of bigotry from Kirk and Spock due to the alien’s influence. While their outbursts are deemed unusual, what is fitting to their character is how the respond when they come to the realization as to why they are behaving in this way.

Character Development – 2 points. Kirk naturally gets a great deal of attention as the captain of his crew. It is he, as well as Spock, that figures out what is really going on. We see him exercise compassion and daring trust to achieve a solution that will save both crews. He makes one of the strongest pleas for peace while at the same time readies his troops for combat. I also liked how Scotty was given a few shining moments and glimpses into his psyche. He seems to appreciate good quality swords as he is drawn to a Scottish claymore in the armory and uses it as his main weapon.

Social Commentary – 3 points. The seemingly never-ending parade of violence in much of our media is addressed here. I cannot help but wonder if the energy alien cannot be a representation of ourselves at times. We love violence. We crave it in some cases. We cannot seem to get enough of it from our choices in entertainment. We create stories that revolve around it, and like the alien we sit back and soak it all in. While Kang and Kirk have every reason to distrust and dislike each other, they eventually come to the conclusion that their petty differences need be tempered, or they will face a mutual destruction. Peace is the best solution, something that even the war-loving Klingons understand.

Cool Stuff – 3 points. The special effect for the alien is cool for its time, and while it may not have aged as well as other effects, it still manages to look cool and is effective in its use. I also like the character of Kang, finding him on par with the likes of Khan as a powerful adversary. He is cunning and wise. He knows when to call a truce and he knows when to fight. Much of the effectiveness of this character lies with the fine job that Anasara did in his acting, and it is nice to know that we will see Kang again in the future. I also have to score a point for the sword fight sequences. Yes, it is evident that these sequences were from the 60s and lack the finesse that we have become accustomed to in today’s world, but it is still an effective battle sequence that is fun to watch.

Rank – Admiral (21 points). An excellent episode that delivers likely the most action from the series. It delivers on all levels and gives us the legendary Kang, a formidable opponent for Kirk. We are taught the value of peace and get to see yet another cool energy alien. What more could one ask for in an episode?

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