Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 3, Episode 11
Original Air Date: January 8, 1990
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| via Memory Alpha |
The leaders of Angosia III are petitioning for Federation membership and our heroes pay them a visit to check things out. As is often the case in such stories, not all is as it seems. A military prisoner, Danar, escapes from a penal colony but is then captured by the Enterprise. Through him, the crew learn of the culture's shabby treatment of military veterans.
The episode is a commentary on the treatment of Vietnam War veterans in the United States, certainly a worthy topic. 30 years later, I would applaud any political candidate running on a veterans' affairs platform. It's not like we've improved on the matter in our wars since. The point is well made here, though as is often the case in TNG's "message" efforts, the story is occasionally heavy-handed, even hokey. On the other hand, Danar's awesome: a Bourne-esque, trained killing machine, but one with a good heart. The "chase" scene through the Enterprise at the end is the best part of the episode.
"The Hunted" is also the first of several Trek appearances for James Cromwell, the future (eventual?) Zefram Cochrane.
Acting Notes
Jeff McCarthy (Danar) was born October 16, 1954 in Los Angeles. His career began on stage, first at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California, then as a master's graduate and company player at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. His Broadway credentials are extensive and impressive, including Smile, Slideshow, Urinetown, Beauty and the Beast, The Pirate Queen and Chicago.
Screen roles have been numerous, though not as eye-catching. This is the first of two Trek appearances. He also has made guest appearances on The Good Wife, Cheers, LA Law, Matlock and many others. He is the voice actor for Michigan J. Frog. There are a few big screen credits, too, including RoboCop 2, Eve of Destruction and Cliffhanger.
I like this movie ❤
ReplyDeleteMe, too. And thanks for stopping by, Kinga!
Delete"We" would prefer our soldiers to die and get it over with rather than have to support them for the service they gave.
ReplyDeleteExactly. We spend billions on the hardware, then exploit the workers. It's the American Way.
DeleteThis is quite a good episode even though it was a bit”messagey’ as I call it. It is quite a good episode and one still relevant because we admire them but we forget about them too and often they have been mistreated. My dad was in World War 2 and part of the liberation of Holland being wounded in the Reischwald Forest I. The last days of the war. When he finally came back to Canada, he was considered a layabout, lazy and scoffed at for having been shot. Hmmm, something you hear from something orange today.
ReplyDeletePraise be, looks like we'll be rid of the orange one soon.
DeleteI have a lot to say about the way we treat our soldiers and veterans but that is for my blog and I have said it many times...
ReplyDeleteAs always enjoy your notes.
Thanks.
DeleteWe owe a debt, going back multiple generations. I'd love to see Biden take this on.
I thought the analogy was too on the nose. Most soldiers are all too human, which is what amplifies...everything. They have a hard time acclimating back to regular life mostly because they existed for however long they served in a bubble. In a lot of ways it’s most comparable to prison life, as least as represented by The Shawshank Redemption. Voyager has a better war story in “Nemesis” (completely unrelated to the later movie), which wisely throws a main character (Chakotay, who turned into as fine a standalone episode star in this manner as the franchise ever saw) into the action. And of course Kira in Deep Space Nine was forever dealing with the ramifications of her life during the Occupation.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be pleased to know, we've just started DS9 as a family - enjoying it quite a lot.
DeleteExcellent!
DeleteAnd it is different in exactly the ways I imagine it would be.
DeleteI know I have a long way to go, but worth noting: Season 1 of TNG vs. Season 1 of DS9? It's really not even close, is it? Of course, Berman and company undoubtedly benefited from the work done on TNG for 5+ seasons...
There’re some awkward episodes, but also some really good stuff. And the giant leap forward happens in about the last third of the second season. Then it’s just levels of awesome.
DeleteJust to be clear, I feel DS9 season one is considerably better. Story development is stronger. They maintain a strong sense of the characters still getting to know each other, which is fun. One can see fruitful stories for each of the principals already emerging. Most importantly, I feel it establishes independence from TNG fairly quickly. DS9 was always going to be its own show - still Trek, but from a fresh perspective.
DeleteI look forward to the levels of awesome.
There’s definitely some great stuff that first season. But it only gets better.
DeleteWe're on Season 3 now and I couldn't agree more.
DeleteAs some who served four years active duty army and seventeen National Guard the way civilians sometime act towards veterans can really piss me off.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, I connected with this episode. Veterans and people currently serving quickly learn that all that "support the troops" crap is a mile wide but an inch deep.
I was hoping you'd chime in.
DeleteNo argument here. I think there's a decent chance that Biden will pick someone relatively high profile - Buttigieg or Duckworth - for VA. That would be awesome. Vets need, among other things, a strong advocate.