Star Trek: Sarek

Episode: "Sarek"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 3, Episode 23

Original Air Date: May 14, 1990

via Memory Alpha

The Enterprise is transporting Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) on his final diplomatic mission.  His presence has everyone on edge: Geordi and Wes are bickering, Picard and Riker are barking at one another and there's a full on brawl in Ten Forward.  It's not a coincidence.  The Vulcan Sarek is suffering from Bendii syndrome, a degenerative disease which compromises his ability to contain his emotions.  While he maintains his stoicism, his emotions are running wild through the ship's crew. 

Mark Lenard is one of my favorites, as much a part of what makes Star Trek's original series work for me as most of the principal cast.  He is the unforgettable guest star, as two different characters, in each of what are probably my two favorite episodes: "Balance of Terror" and "Journey to Babel."  The return of Sarek was a big deal for the series as a whole.  To this point, Gene Roddenberry had been reluctant to allow even a mention of anything related to the original series on Next Gen.  Understandably, he wanted the new series to be able to stand on its own.  "Sarek" opened the door.  The story is also seen by many as a clear reference to Roddenberry's own deteriorating health at the time.

Even with all of that, Patrick Stewart still managed to steal the show.  His talents are given free rein during his mind meld with Sarek.  Even Lenard was impressed.

Acting Notes

via Simple English Wikipedia

Joanna Miles played the role of Perrin, Sarek's second wife.  Miles was born March 6, 1940 in Nice, France.  Her family emigrated to the United States in 1941.  She grew up in Putney, Vermont.  She studied at the Actors Studio in New York alongside Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman.

In 1973, she won two Emmys for her portrayal of Laura Wingfield in a televised film of The Glass Menagerie.  Big screen appearances include Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Above Suspicion and Judge Dredd.  This is her first of two appearances as Perrin.

Squid Mixes: Ginger Apple Wassail

Ginger apple wassail combines ginger beer and apple cider, an apple with sugar and cinnamon dunked in the mixture, ground nutmeg for garnish.  I got my recipe from Zero-Proof Cocktails by Liz Scott.  The process generates amazing kitchen aromas.

Overall, the project was a success in that the resulting drink was quite tasty.  However, as may be apparent in the photo, the apples exploded in the oven.  "You didn't core them?" said my wife.  Well, no, the recipe didn't say I should.  Oh well.  Live and learn.

Marvel Immersion Project: Thor #357-360

My Recent Reads

Thor #357

Originally Published July 10, 1985

Writer and Artist: Walter Simonson

• Thor leads Frigga and the Asgardian children on the long walk back home.
• Back in New York, Sif and Bill battle the GLF who are trying to rob a bank.

via Wikipedia

• Cameo: Power Pack
• Loki gives Lorelei a gift to bring Thor back under her spell.
• The Enchantress plots revenge against her sister Lorelei for the latter's refusal to help in the battle against Surtur.

Thor #358

August 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

• Thor is back under Lorelei's spell.  She convinces Thor that Loki should be King of Asgard.
• Meanwhile, the Enchantress has cast her own spell on Lorelei so that the latter falls in love with Loki when she sees him.
• Beta Ray Bill battles the GLF.  When the GLF learns their leader is Titanium Man, they turn against him.

via Wikipedia

• Featured: The Scourge of the Underworld. 

Thor #359

September 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

• Heimdall and friends discover Lorelei's spell over Thor and set out to free him from it.  
• Thor, still enchanted, goes to Loki's castle and finds his brother and Lorelei in bed together. 
• Thor flies into a rage and nearly kills Loki but the latter frees the former from Lorelei's enchantment just in time.
• Now Thor must bring the Asgardians home from Earth.

Thor #360

October 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

• The warriors are finally brought home to Asgard.
• Thor wishes to go to Hel to free the mortals trapped there.

Angrboða via God of War Wiki

• He asks Angerboda (based on Angrboða, the mother of monsters in Norse mythology) to tell him the way.

Star Trek: The Most Toys

Episode: "The Most Toys"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 3, Episode 22

Original Air Date: May 7, 1990

via Memory Alpha

Data is kidnapped by novelty collector Kivas Fajo (Saul Rubinek).  The Enterprise crew believes their friend died so it takes a while before they realize the foul play.  Determined not to play Fajo's game, Data engages in passive resistance rather than submitting to his captor's whims.  Naturally, Fajo is infuriated.

"The Most Toys" is a popular choice for favorite episodes but I'm not so keen.  I find Fajo grating.  It's too bad because I generally like Rubinek quite a lot.  We grew to be fans of his courtesy of his recurring role on A Nero Wolfe Mystery.  The story's most interesting moment comes near the end as Data is finally rescued via transport beam.  At that last instant, did he intend to kill Fajo or not?  Writer Shari Goodhartz and Brent Spiner both believe he did.  The producers insisted on greater ambiguity.

Acting Notes

via Lostpedia

Saul Rubinek was born July 2, 1948 in Föhrenwald, Germany.  His parents were Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust in hiding on a Polish farm.  They emigrated to Canada not long after Saul's birth.  

Like William Shatner, Rubinek cut his teeth at the Stratford Festival in Ontario.  He rose to prominence in the Toronto theatre scene, co-founding the Canadian Stage Company.  He began working in the US in 1970.

Film credits are impressive, including Wall Street, Bonfire of the Vanities (which he began shooting immediately after "The Most Toys"), True Romance and Unforgiven.  In television, he was a regular on both Warehouse 13 and The Last Tycoon.  He had recurring roles on Frasier, Leverage and, as noted above, Nero Wolfe.

Squid Mixes: Submarino

A submarino combines tequila and beer.  Just as with the boilermaker, you fill a shot glass with tequila, then drop it into the beer glass.  I got the recipe from The New York Bartender's Guide.

While whiskey can make beer -  especially a lager - better, tequila definitely makes it worse.  I'm glad to have tried it but I won't be having it again anytime soon.

Bitters of the Month

We tried the plum bitters as a substitute for Angostura in a Manhattan.  There was a mere hint of something different in the aftertaste and in the aroma.  Basically, I think it would do in a pinch but isn't really worth keeping in the regular rotation. 

Marvel Immersion Project: Thor #351-356

My Recent Reads

Thor #351

Originally Published January 10, 1985

Writer and Artist: Walter Simonson

• Team Asgard/Avengers continues to battle Team Surtur in New York.  The good guys are losing until the 82nd Airborne shows up.
• Among those joining in the fight:

via Wikipedia

• The Einherjar, the spirits of those who have died in battle

via Wikipedia

• Tyr, one of Thor's brothers and, at least in traditional Norse mythology, the God of War.  Tuesday is named for Tyr.  For those keeping score at home, that's four days of the week named for Norse gods:
• Tuesday: Tyr's Day
• Wednesday: Odin's Day
• Thursday: Thor's Day
• Friday: Frigg's Day
• Surtur defeats Heimdall and shatters Bifrost, the rainbow bridge.
• He defeats Thor, too.  Now Odin alone defends Asgard.

Thor #352

February 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

• The battle continues on multiple fronts.

via Wikipedia

• Among others, Hercules lends his strength to the cause.
• Surtur defeats Odin and gets to the Eternal Flame to light his newly forged sword, Twilight.

Thor #353

March 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

• Not so fast, Surtur!  Loki hid the real flame and replaced it with an illusion.  
• In the broader battle of Asgard/Avengers vs. Fire Demons, the good guys finally win.

via Wikipedia

• Featured: She-Hulk
• Odin, Thor and Loki battle Surtur together.
• Odin and Surtur fall into the chasm of Muspelheim which seals behind them.
• Is the end of Odin???

Thor #354

April 10, 1985

Walter Simonson

via Wikipedia

• Having sensed Odin's passing, Hela - based on Hel, the Norse goddess of death - comes to claim him.  Thor fights her off.
• Thor leaves Asgard to confront his grief while wandering in the wilderness.  In spite, Hela kills his horse and Thor collapses in the snow.

via Marvel Database

• Featured: Titanium Man.

Thor #355

May 10, 1985

Writer: Simonson

Artist: Sal Buscema

• Thor is rescued by an enormous, powerful and clearly ancient man named Tiwaz.  Thor is convinced that his savior is Odin in disguise but Tiwaz convinces him otherwise.
• This is probably my favorite Thor issue so far - less brawling, more thoughtful reflection on Thor's role in both Asgard and Midgard (Earth).
• Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 is quoted: "To everything, there is a season..."
• After Thor leaves, Tiwaz reveals that he is, in fact, the thunder god's great-grandfather.

Thor #356

June 1, 1985

Bob Harras/Jackson Guice

• While out on a walk in Central Park, Hercules and Jarvis encounter a group of young boys.  Hercules regales them with a clearly fictional tale of a great battle between Thor and himself.
• It's a light story - much needed after the heavy Surtur tale.
• Hercules also tells of his mythological tasks, including the stories of...

via Greek Myth Wikia

• Hydra

via Wikipedia

• The Bull of Crete

via Wikipedia

• Cerberus

via Mythology wiki

• Atlas

Star Trek: Hollow Pursuits

Episode: "Hollow Pursuits"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 3, Episode 21

Original Air Date: April 30, 1990

via Memory Alpha

It's a Barclay episode!

Lt. Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) doesn't seem to be working out on the engineering staff.  He's socially awkward, constantly late and seemingly incompetent.  LaForge and Riker both want him transferred off the ship but Picard challenges Geordi to befriend the man and see if he can bring him around.

Barclay is one of the best recurring characters on Next Gen.  He is Trek's walking, talking cautionary tale.  In this episode, he's addicted to the holodeck, having created, among other programs, a Three Musketeers-scape in which all of the other characters are played by members of the crew.  Beverly is a fawning mother (or lover?).  Jean-Luc, Geordi and Data are a swashbuckling trio.  Will is a swordsman, too, though a diminutive one.  Deanna is the scantily-clad Goddess of Empathy.  All stand in awe of Barclay, a far more charismatic presence in this fantasy world.

The particular story is fair-to-middling but it's worth watching for Barclay.  

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

William Dwight Schultz was born November 24, 1947 in Baltimore.  He attended Towson University.  He made his breakthrough as Captain Murdock on The A-Team.  Film appearances include The Fan, Fat Man and Little Boy and a cameo in The A-Team movie.  

Squid Cooks: Æbleskivers

As mentioned in previous posts, most recently this one, my paternal grandmother was Danish.  For our family, the most important culinary element of that heritage has been æbleskivers, best described as ball-shaped pancakes.  Growing up, they were my favorite breakfast though worth noting, the only time my grandmother herself made them for us, they were served with dinner.  One Christmas several years ago, my father bought an æbleskiver pan for each household in our family along with a small packet of Danish recipes copied from the web - specific sites long forgotten.  That was probably at least 10 years ago.  At most, we've made them three times in the years since and that's a generous estimate.

If they're so good, why not make them more often?  Well, in truth, they're kind of a pain to make - or at least we all think of it as being a pain.  The trick is knowing when to flip them over and then how long to let them finish.  Too long and they'll burn, too short and they won't cook all the way through.  Then there's the act of turning them over without slopping the batter.  And what's the right implement?  A knitting needle is traditional.  I prefer long cooking chopsticks.  Usually, the first batch is a disaster, a sacrifice to the culinary gods.

As part of our COVID Christmas celebration, my wife suggested an æbleskiver breakfast/brunch over Zoom with our three households: ours in Vermont, my parents' in DC and my sister's in California.  As the primary Dane at our house, it fell to me to cook.

Shockingly, all went just fine, even the first batch.  Our soup spoons are the perfect size to scoop.  I didn't burn anything.  I didn't slop too much batter - in fact, learning to live with the imperfection of the process was a good thing.  They all got cooked through.  Really, they were lovely.  I might start doing this all the time!

Yup, totally jinxed myself.  I'm willing to risk it.  As with the Dickens reading, I'd be inclined to make this an annual tradition.

It was a Danish Christmas all around.  I got LEGOs, too:

Marvel Immersion Project: Thor #345-350

My Recent Reads

Thor #345

Originally Published July 10, 1984

Writer and Artist: Walter Simonson

• The story of the Casket of Ancient Winters begins.
• Korean War vet Roger Willis is told of the casket.  He doesn't know what it is but he's been charged with protecting it with his life.
• Thor arrives, having broken a date with Melodi across town in order to help.
• Malekith wants the casket, too, and kills Eric, Roger's eternally youthful father, in the pursuit.

Thor #346

August 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Roger finds the casket on an abandoned stretch of the West Side Highway and is almost immediately attacked by Malekith and the Hounds of the Hunter.  Thor helps to fend them off.  The Hounds' weakness: iron.
• Back at Melodi/Lorelei's apartment, Thor finally drinks her enchanted golden mead and is compelled to fall in love with her.
• Unfortunately, the Melodi in attendance is not the real thing but an animated stock of wood.  The real Melodi/Lorelei has been kidnapped by Malekith.
• To get her back, Thor must bring the casket to the Cotswalds of England.

Thor #347

September 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Thor and Roger head to the Cotswalds to rescue Melodi.
• Thor battles Algrim.  Malekith sends both into a bottomless chasm.
• Meanwhile, Malekith blinds Roger (fortunately, only temporarily).

via Wikipedia

• Back in Asgard, Balder meets the Norns.

Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun via Wikipedia

• Odin summons the Warriors Three - Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg - and commands that they prepare forces for war.  He senses that Surtur is about to attack.

Thor #348

October 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Thor and Roger defeat Malekith, but not before Malekith destroys the casket.
• Surtur enters our realm and Asgardian forces brace for war.

Thor #349

November 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• The shattering of the casket causes unseasonable cold in Midgard, a winter experienced in other Marvel publications at the time which is kinda cool (pun intended).
• Roger suspects Melodi/Lorelei's enchantment of Thor but through a separate spell, she prevents him from telling Thor.
• Odin tells the history of the struggle against Surtur, the story that begins his own rise to power as ruler of Asgard.
• Beta Ray Bill is summoned to Asgard to help in the coming battle.

Thor #350

December 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Odin summons all of the Norse gods and goddesses to aid in the battle against Surtur, including:

via Wikipedia

• Hermod, based on Hermóðr, the messenger of the gods

via Marvel Database

• Skurge the Executioner

via Villains Wiki

• Amora the Enchantress
• Thor enlists the help of the Avengers, including Captain Marvel (new alias: Monica Rambeau), Scarlet Witch, Starfox and the Wasp.

Monica Rambeau via Wikipedia

Starfox via Wikipedia

• All but Odin and Heimdall go to New York to fend off Surtur and his minions.  Odin and Heimdall remain to defend Asgard.
• Surtur breaks through when Bifrost is revealed, a result of the freak winter storm.
• To be continued...

Star Trek: Tin Man

Episode: "Tin Man"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 3, Episode 20

Original Air Date: April 23, 1990

via Memory Alpha

The Enterprise welcomes the Betazoid Tam Elbrum (Harry Groener) aboard.  Elbrum is highly telepathic, even by Betazoid standards.  Together, our friends investigate a bio ship life form currently hanging out near a star about to go supernova.  Complicating matters further, the Romulans get involved.

"Tin Man" isn't in the top tier for Season 3 but it has strong moments, enough to warrant an Emmy nomination for Visual Effects.  Groener is good: highly annoying from the get go, though undoubtedly intentionally.  We gain greater sympathy for him over time.  The ending is surprisingly touching, including some meaningful new awareness for Data.  Plus, of course, I'm a sucker for any and all Wizard of Oz allusions.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Groener was born September 10, 1951 in Augsburg, Germany, both of his parents accomplished musicians.  His family emigrated to the United States when he was two years old.  He apprenticed with the San Francisco Ballet as a teenager then studied drama at the University of Washington.

His musical theater credentials are impressive, including three Tony nominations for Oklahoma!, Cats (he was the original Munkustrap, the narrator) and Crazy for You.  His best known television role was Mayor Wilkins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  He was also a regular on Dear John and made two appearances as the Secretary of Agriculture on The West Wing.  This is his first of four Trek appearances.

Bitters of the Month: Plum

The label on Fee Brothers' Plum Bitters indicates the flavor is meant to mimic British plum pudding.  This explains the cinnamon scent that hit me upon opening the bottle.  Considering our success with peach bitters, I'd have been happy with another simple stone fruit hint but the spices on offer suggest other possibilities...

Stay tuned.

On the Coffee Table: Clemency Burton-Hill

Title: Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day

Author: Clemency Burton-Hill

via Amazon

Year of Wonder is an ambitious project.  Writer, radio/television presenter and professional violinist Clemency Burton-Hill selected a classical piece to share each day of the calendar year, including Leap Year Day along with historical notes and a brief explanation for each choice.  The intention was to introduce the genre to newcomers with varied and easily digestible tidbits and also exhibit enjoyable works beyond the canon for those more knowledgeable.  I read along for the entire year and also managed to find a not quite complete Spotify playlist so I could listen, too.

It's made for a most enjoyable year, at least as far as listening to quality music is concerned.  Burton-Hill includes a wonderful variety by era, instrumentation, nation, etc.  In particular, she included the work of numerous female composers, a most welcome consideration at our house.  I've always enjoyed learning about composers anyway.  I first learned the stories of the big names - Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, etc. - from flim strips (remember those?) shown by my elementary school music teacher.  To me, they were like characters in a book.  As such, learning lots of new names was fun.  Not surprisingly, quite a lot of composers have lived, shall we say, colorful lives.

There are flaws, including a predictable northern hemisphere bias where seasons are concerned (the author is British).  Also, Burton-Hill takes the Mozart Effect at face value and one most definitely should not.  But overall, the strengths far outweigh the few nit-picky flaws.  I would love to see similar books for jazz and rock.  Might I have to write those myself?

Marvel Immersion Project: Thor #339-344

via Wikipedia

Walter Simonson, lead writer and artist for this run of Thor, was born September 2, 1946 in Knoxville, Tennessee, though he grew up in suburban Maryland.  He got a degree in geology from Amherst and then went to grad school at the Rhode Island School of Design.  He started working for DC Comics in 1972, then Marvel in 1977.  He has worked on major titles for both companies, though Thor is probably his best known work.  He has won numerous industry awards.

via Wikipedia

My Recent Reads

Thor #339

Originally Published January 10, 1984

Writer and Artist: Walter Simonson

• Beta Ray Bill has, by rights, won the hammer Mjolnir.  But this won't do as the hammer is meant to be only for Thor and Bill's too honorable to claim it outright.  So...
• Odin gets the dwarfs to forge a new hammer for Bill, naming it Strombreaker.

Eitri via Marvel Database

• In return for this favor, the dwarf king Eitri asks that a female warrior - he was hoping for Sif and he got her - be called to defeat Throgg, a giant dwarf (oxymoron?) who has been tormenting them.  She succeeds.
• Bill, Thor and Sif all run off together to confront the demons attacking Bill's people.
• Featured:

via Mythology Wiki

• Nidhogg, a green dragon based on Níðhǫggr of Norse mythology

via Wikipedia

• Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, based on Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóster, the goats who pull Thor's chariot.

Thor #340

February 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• While Sif fends off the demons from Bill's people's fleet - and chats with his apparently sentient ship, Skuttlebutt, Thor and Bill combine the powers of their two hammers to destroy the portal from which the demons are emerging, effectively destroying all of them.
• Skuttlebutt tells Sif the story of how Bill achieved his current form, powerful yet repulsive to his own people.  Sif then relays the story to Odin.
• As a reward to Bill, Odin transfers to him Thor's power of transformation back and forth with an alias.  Bill can now revert to his previous, more attractive form, only summoning the superpowers when he needs them.
• Just like that, Donald Blake, Thor's Earth-bound alias, is no more.
• Bill is sent back to Skuttlebutt in order to help his people find a new homeworld.  Sif, evidently in love, goes with him.

Thor #341

March 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Now that Thor no longer has an alias, he has to go for more subtle disguising, including eyeglasses - a poke at Superman, complete with cameo appearances by Clark Kent and Lois Lane.
• His new alias is named Sigrud Jarlson.
• Jarlson takes a job at a construction site where he is attacked by the dragon Fafnir, who in turn was goaded by Lorelei, also now on Earth and out to get Thor.
• In the end, Thor/Jarlson rescues Lorelei who seems amnesiac... or is that all part of her plan?

via Marvel Database

• Meanwhile, back in Asgard, Balder is wandering in the wilderness.  Unbeknownst to him, he is being observed from afar by Karnilla, Queen of Nornheim.

Thor #342

April 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Lorelei recovers just fine and is still determined to seduce Thor.
• Thor has been hearing a mysterious voice calling to him.  He follows the voice to Antarctica, where he discovers a mostly abandoned Viking village in a volcano crater.
• Thor finds the village's last survivor, Eilif the lost.  
• Eilif desires a warrior's death but Thor won't grant him one.
• Thor declares that Eilif's life now belongs to him.

Thor #343

May 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• Thor convinces Eilif to join him in the fight against Fafnir and grants him temporary rejuvenation courtesty of Mjolnir.  
• They defeat Fafnir and Eilif dies a hero in the battle.  Thor gives him a Viking funeral.

via Marvel Database

• Featured: the Valkyrior
• Lorelei, alias Melodi, arrives at the apartment of Thor, alias Jarlson, to thank him for saving her life... wink, wink, nudge, nudge...

Thor #344

June 10, 1984

Walter Simonson

• More a Balder story than a Thor story.
• Odin sends Balder with a message to Loki.  Asgard needs Loki's help.

via Wikipedia

• Featured: Frigga, Odin's wife and Thor's mother
• Balder accepts the mission but tells Odin he has sworn off killing, even for Asgard.
• On his way to Loki's, Balder is captured by fire demons and brought before Loki.

via Marvel Database

• Loki introduces Balder (and us) to Malekith, the dark elf.  
• Malekith sets the demons upon Balder.  
• Balder is forced to kill them all (and Malekith, sort of) in order to deliver the message.
• Loki casts the message aside, telling Balder he's already decided to side with the giants instead.
• Balder broke his vow of non-violence for nothing.
• Loki's such an asshole!
• Meanwhile, on Earth, Lorelei/Melodi does her best to seduce Thor/Jarlson but the poor guy falls asleep.

Star Trek: Captain's Holiday

Episode: "Captain's Holiday"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 3, Episode 19

Original Air Date: April 2, 1990

via Memory Alpha

Happy New Year!

The Captain is stressed out and his senior officers urge him to take a vacation.  At Riker's urging, Picard heads to the resort planet Risa where, the First Officer strongly suggests, our hero is likely to get laid.  Turns out, Jean-Luc isn't very good at relaxing poolside with a book and spurns all attention, female or otherwise.  However, adventure catches up with him in the form of Vash, a beautiful architect in search of a legendary artifact.  To complicate matters, she's being tailed by the Ferengi Savok (Max Grodénchik, the future Rom on DS9) and two Vorgons from the 27th century have taken an interest in the proceedings as well.

It's not the greatest episode but there are fun elements.  The dialogue is occasionally humorous.  Vash is intriguing: morally ambiguous in a way Next Gen female characters rarely are.  In the end, it turns out to be quite a rewarding holiday for the Captain and not at all what he expected.  Some need a whimsical adventure more than sex and sun (though he did manage a little of both), something his friends might have considered of a man with a love for hard-boiled detective novels.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Jennifer Hetrick (Vash) was born May 12, 1958 in Westerville, Ohio.  This was the first of three appearances for her as Vash.  Beyond Star Trek, she is best known for a recurring role on L.A. Law as Arnie's ex-wife and an earlier series of Oil of Olay commercials.  Recent big screen appearances include The Poor Kid's Guide to Success, He's Such a Girl and 500 Days of Summer.