Star Trek: The Swarm

Episode: "The Swarm"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 4

Original Air Date: September 25, 1996

via Memory Alpha

The Doctor is losing his memory.  Most alarming, he's forgetting his medical programming but he's also forgetting his more personal experiences on Voyager.  Fortunately, there's a diagnostic program for the EMH on the holodeck, including a holographic Lewis Zimmerman, the man who created the Doctor in his own image.  Meanwhile, Captain Janeway and her crew must find their way through the territory of beings who don't take kindly to the intrusion.

"The Swarm" is pretty solid, the second Voyager writing credit for Michael Sussman who penned the excellent "Meld" for Season 2.  Obviously, it's a meaningful vehicle for the Doctor.  We learn he's developed a love for opera, performing La Boheme on the holodeck.  We get to know his creator better.  We are reminded of his considerable growth since the beginning of the series.  It is also a great story for Kes, the ultimate hero of the tale.  She cares for her holographic friend deeply and she's a strong advocate for his rights and well-being throughout.  The episode was written as an Alzheimer's allegory and Kes was excellent in the caretaker role.

I'm likely to get a bit wistful regarding Kes throughout Season 3...

The ethical dilemma of whether or not to travel though another society's air space is meaningful.  As Tuvok points out, doing so is a violation of Starfleet directives.  Neither for the first time nor the last, Janeway plays the "we're a long way from Starfleet right now" card, prioritizing the long-term well-being of her ship and crew.  The dilemma presents a genuinely interesting long-term question regarding Voyager's entire premise.  Does the crew's situation exempt them from Starfleet regulations?  A purist would say no.  But goodness knows, Star Trek would be a lot less fun if the captain(s) never bent or broke the rules, right?  That's kinda the point of it all.  Weigh all of the strong arguments, then make the call.  The Starfleet brass always seem to forgive them in the end.

A note for Mulgrew: a few times in the episode, we see a slanted smile.  It happens enough that one imagines it was a conscious choice.  Unfortunately, whatever the intent, it lands as patronizing and even aloof, particularly in a tense situation.  Hopefully, the directors/producers told her it wasn't working.  I'll keep an eye out for it in future episodes. 

Acting Notes

via Scrubs Wiki

Carole Davis played the role of Giusseppina Pentangelli, a fictitious 22nd century soprano, Mimì to the Doctor's Rodolfo in the holographic opera.  Davis doesn't get much screen time - a shame because she's a lot of fun, really playing the "diva" energy to the hilt.  I can't find any indication one way or the other as to whether they used her actual singing voice in the episode.  (They did use Picardo's.) Davis is a singer, even had a dance hit with "Serious Money" in the '80s.  However, I don't know if she has classical training.  It would seem a shame not to cast the real deal for such a small part but we've all seen stranger.

Davis was born in London, February 17, 1958.  After a successful modeling career, she hit the big screen in 1982 with Piranha II: The Spawning.  She also made appearances in The Flamingo Kid and Mannequin.  Other television credits include The A-Team, Sex and the City and Angel.  

Davis was pals with Prince and even has co-writing credit on one of his songs: "Slow Love."  She's an accomplished writer as well, boasting articles for The Jewish Journal, American Dog Magazine and Newsvine.

Squid Eats: May Day

via May Day

May Day in Burlington offers a menu based on local, seasonal ingredients.  It's on North Winooski Avenue, an increasingly hip part of town.  When we first moved to Vermont, the best reason to go was the laundromat.  Now, there are several nice restaurants, including a great Vietnamese place where the aforementioned laundromat used to be.  

On our most recent visit, we ordered mussels (more or less obligatory for us when they're on the menu) and a couple of specials: a beef tart and a pork tenderloin dish.  The mussels were heavenly and thankfully they gave us plenty of bread for sop.  The specials were fine - nothing too excited but fine.  We got an order of fries by mistake - herby, which was good, but a little too salty.

Overall, it's a pleasant dining experience.  Wait staff is personable and professional.  We'll be back.

Star Trek: The Chute

Episode: "The Chute"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 3

Original Air Date: September 18, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Kim and Paris are wrongly convicted of a terrorist attack, sentenced to prison plus a neural implant that slowly drives them insane.  There are no guards.  The inmates are completely at one another's mercy.  Meanwhile, Janeway and friends hunt down the true culprits, then hatch a plan to free their crew mates.

Star Trek's fascination with criminal justice continues.  "The Chute" is a compelling jail break story.  Both Harry and Neelix (good thing someone remembered his ship was still in the cargo hold) get satisfying heroic moments.  The story's not especially memorable but overall, I'd say I prefer it to last week's.  

One point worth addressing: many slash fiction writers have been drawn to the Harry-Tom relationship as one with homoerotic undertones, pointing to "The Chute" as evidence.  First, let me be clear: I would have no problem with such a relationship developing.  Indeed, I would welcome it.  I certainly appreciate the longing for representation, however subtle, by those in the queer community.  That said, I am troubled when any affectionate, nurturing or protective relationship, no matter the sex or gender of the parties involved, is automatically perceived as sexual.  I see danger in such an attitude.  We should all be able to experience and appreciate a broader spectrum of intimacy than society generally acknowledges or allows.  Fiction - especially 1990s American televised fiction - is too limited in this area.  And it's often the consumer, rather than the creator, who is limited in their view.

Acting Notes

via WikiSein

Don McManus played the role of Zio, a temporary ally for our friends in the prison.  McManus was born November 8, 1959 in San Diego.  He graduated from Yale.  His films include The Shawshank Redemption, National Treasure and Air Force One.  Television appearances include Northern Exposure, Seinfeld and Frasier.  

Squid Mixes: Obituary

An Obituary combines gin, dry vermouth and absinthe with a lemon peel garnish.  It is yet another in the large family of Corpse Reviver cocktails.  We got our recipe from Rebekah Peppler in The New York Times who informs us the drink is also sometimes known as Death in the Afternoon.  

My wife is the one who found the recipe and requested the drink, a bit of a surprise given her usual aversion to anise.  The absinthe is the flavor carrier here, though it's light.  A stronger gin (I used Seagram's Extra Dry) might compete better though I don't think that would be the right choice at our house.  We both enjoyed the result - perhaps worth remembering as a martini variant, too.

Sadly appropriate for the name of the drink, I have sad news to share.  One of our beloved cats, known here as The Little Squirt (black kitty with a tiny white priest collar - relatively camera shy compared to The Scamp, our most obliging cocktail model), recently passed away.  The house always feels out of balance if we don't have two cats so we got another not long afterwards.  He's an extremely affectionate adult male ginger who is presently eager for me to stop typing so I'll pet him.  We're still getting to know each other so I don't have a good code name for him yet.  Stay tuned.

RIP, little one...

Star Trek: Flashback

Episode: "Flashback"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 2

Original Air Date: September 11, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Tuvok has a mental breakdown on the bridge accompanied by flashbacks to letting go of a girl before she fell from a precipice, an incident he doesn't remember.  Janeway mind-melds with him in order to help probe the past.  We go back to his days on the USS Excelsior where he served under none other than Captain Hikaru Sulu.

"Flashback" pushes hard on the nostalgia button.  We get both Sulu and Janice Rand in Undiscovered Country-era uniforms.  We get Kang.  It was all in honor of Star Trek's 30th anniversary and the homage was effective.

But that's really it.  What else is there here?  "Flashback" gets a lot of love on best-of lists but I don't see it.  The memory anomaly is all explained away with technobabble.  It was just a gimmick, a device to get to Sulu with no real value of its own.  The acting's good.  The background development for Tuvok is good.  It's fun without being meaningful.  I want meaningful.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Jeremy Roberts played the role of Lt. Cmdr. Dmitri Valtane, the same character he played in Undiscovered Country.  "Flashback" was his third and final Trek appearance.  He was born Jeremy Thompson in Birmingham, Alabama, September 18, 1954.  Other television appearances include CSI: Miami, Xena: Princess Warrior and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Other films include Sister Act and Blackout.

Squid Perks: Happy Place Cafe

In the evening, Vermont Comedy Club is Burlington's premier stand-up comedy venue, providing a full bar and plenty of pub food for its patrons.  During the day (8-3, Wed-Sun), the "bar" transforms into Happy Place Cafe, an ideal spot for a quick refreshment before our last afternoon of movies at this year's Vermont International Film Festival.  

I went low-octane this visit, ordering herbal tea.  My wife got a London Fog, having been denied the pleasure at lunch (Jericho Cafe and Tavern - formerly Village Cup - got rid of their espresso machine. What gives?).  She also ordered a doughnut twist and I got a nibble.  All was satisfying.

Burlington hardly needs another coffeehouse but Happy Place Cafe is worth remembering simply because there was hardly anyone there.  No waiting in line.  We sat right at the bar.  Quick service.  Perfect.

Star Trek: Basics, Part II

Episode: "Basics, Part II"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 1

Original Air Date: September 4, 1996

via Memory Alpha

The story begun with Season 2's finale continues.  While most of the Voyager crew is in survival mode on their new home planet, the Doctor, unexpectedly escaped detainee Lon Suder and Tom Paris team up to regain the ship from Kazon control.  

Initially, there was talk of extending the story of the crew's new life away from the ship over several episodes.  I'm glad the idea was scrapped.  While complications are to be expected - and necessary to fulfill the needs of episodic television - the overall trajectory of our heroes' journey should always be incremental progress back to the Alpha Quadrant.  

This is a strong start to the season.  The survival story is satisfying, especially as our friends find a way to gain the trust of the native inhabitants.  Even though the exile only lasts one episode, the first glimpse of Voyager coming back to rescue them is genuinely moving.

The episode also marks the end for several storylines, namely Suder's, Seska and the Kazon.  I think moving on from the last two was essential.  As noted above, the overall trajectory should be homeward and sticking to the same region of space for too long is a hindrance.  Suder's demise, however, seems a shame.  I suppose if you can't see where to move forward on a certain narrative path, it makes sense to move on.  But character death - most of the time, anyway - means you can never revisit the idea at all.  

Losing some ideas means making room for others.  Let's hope they're good ones.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Scott Haven played the part of a Kazon engineer.  The episode is one of five Trek appearances, including the film First Contact.  Haven was born January 8, 1964.  Haven had recurring roles on both Beverly Hills, 90210 and JAG.  Films include The Babe, Watch It and Lansky.

Squid Eats: Terre Madri

Terre Madri, a Stowe-based operation, offered dinner for the final weekend of this year's Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF).  It is a women-run business, highly appropriate for this year's women-centric festival.  They specialize in northern Italian cuisine.  We both got the meatball sandwiches which were good - maybe a little cheesier than I would prefer but still good.  The deconstructed cannoli was tempting but we didn't have enough time to try it.

More film ratings:

It Was Just an Accident - 4 stars out of 5 for me; my wife's favorite from the festival

The Things You Kill - 3 stars

Blue Moon - 3 stars

By Design - 4 stars

Four Mothers - 4 stars

Household Saints - 3 stars

Star Trek: Broken Link

Episode: "Broken Link"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 26

Original Air Date: June 17, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Garak episode!

Odo collapses in Garak's shop, his solid form destabilizing.  When rest in the infirmary doesn't help, Odo asserts that only the Founders will be able to cure him.  Everyone realizes he's right so a plan is made to deliver him to their home world.  Among several complications: they don't know where it is.  Meanwhile, the Federation is tumbling towards inevitable war with the Klingons.  The episode ends with one helluva cliffhanger.

We have much to discuss...

Let's start with the A-plot Odo story.  What an interesting twist on the Pinocchio tale it is.  For harming a fellow changeling, Odo is sentenced to losing his shape-changing abilities.  He is turned human, not as reward but as punishment.  Make no mistake, this is an important philosophical turning point for the Star Trek franchise.  Consider all of the material devoted to wishing Spock, Data, Worf, B'Elanna Torres and many others were more human.  When it happens to Odo, it's portrayed as a disaster.  No joke, this is a monumental shift.

It also marks the beginning of the end for Deep Space Nine, the series.  In the final act, Odo confesses to Captain Sisko how lost and abandoned he feels having lost his connection to The Great Link.  A seed is planted.  We know that, even with his enforced transformation, he will return one day, permanently.  And when he does, our connection with Odo's story will be over.  A point of finality is established for one of our principals.  Fortunately, there's still some time.

The Gowron eyes...

Gowron gets a lot of screen time in "Broken Link," all of it in close up.  My goodness, do the eyes ever get a chance to shine.  First, let's give all due credit to the makeup department for enhancing Robert O'Reilly's physical gift.  Michael Westmore was the lead man for Star Trek in this era and it's well worth noting he was nominated for an Emmy every year between 1984 and 2005, winning 9 times.  Truly, he's a giant of the industry and a member of the Westmore family which has been working in film makeup for four generations and counting.  The Gowron eyes alone are a towering achievement.

And boy, does O'Reilly sell them!  Seriously, when does the man ever blink?  Aha, he may be a changeling!  Maybe that's how he does it...

Garak...

Wow, "Broken Link" is a great Garak episode, and that's saying something!  He gets to play matchmaker between Odo and Chalan Aroya, owner of the Celestial Cafe, a new Bajoran restaurant on the promenade.  He gets into fisticuffs with Worf - "you fight well, for a tailor."  Best of all, he gets to keep Odo company during the journey to the Gamma Quadrant:  

Question: why didn't they let Odo rest in his liquid state?

Thoughts on Season Four

General Impressions

Season 4 marks a new high for the series and for all of Star Trek.  Neither the original series nor NextGen ever had a season as strong from beginning to end and it's not even close.  How good is DS9 Season 4?  This outstanding finale doesn't even crack my top 5 episodes for the season.  The season's worst is still pretty damn good.  The best is a masterpiece.

Favorite Episode: "The Visitor"

This is not an easy call.  Both "The Visitor" and "Rejoined" rank very high on my all-time Star Trek list.  "The Visitor" was the Hugo nominee.  It is close to perfect - all the more amazing for the fact that alternate history is just the sort of narrative choice that typically drives me crazy.  The dialogue sings.  But once again, the acting seals the deal.  Tony Todd's adult Jake Sisko is one of the greatest guest performances you'll ever find on television.  He and Avery Books join forces for a revolutionary scene, portraying a tenderness between Black men you simply don't see in American media.  Genuinely unforgettable.

"The Visitor" lost the Hugo to "The Coming of Shadows," a Babylon 5 episode.  I guess I need to watch it sometime.

Least Favorite Episode: "Shattered Mirror"

This choice says it all.  I will readily concede that "Shattered Mirror" is a good episode.  The Garak-Worf scenes in particular are delicious.  I'm reasonably certain I've never used that particular adjective to describe a NextGen scene - certainly not one in an episode I otherwise didn't like.  This is simply a personal preference.  I don't like the way DS9 uses the Mirror Universe.  But that's just me.

Favorite Recurring Character: Garak

It's unlikely anyone will ever beat Garak for this spot.  Even if it had been close beforehand, he distanced himself from the rest of the field in the season finale.  But folks, the rest of the field keeps getting stronger.  Dynamite recurring characters introduced in Season 4 include Kasidy Yates, Damar, Joseph Sisko and Ziyal.

Favorite Blast from the Past: Worf

While the quality of the product was only getting better, the ratings for all Star Trek series were in consistent decline from the end of NextGen onward.  The producers made a bold move for Deep Space Nine's fourth season, adding Worf - one of the previous series's strongest and most popular characters - to the principal cast.  As noted here, TNG ended with plenty of room left to explore Worf's story.

It was an outstanding choice for all involved.

Favorite Guest Actor, One-Shot: Tony Todd as adult Jake Sisko

via Memory Alpha

I'll readily admit Todd makes for a bit of an awkward choice in the category as I have named it.  "The Visitor" is certainly not his only Trek appearance, nor even his only appearance in the season.  In fact, he will probably always be better remembered as Worf's brother Kurn.  But it is his only appearance as adult Jake Sisko.  See above - it's a grand slam.

As an honorable mention, Susanna Thompson deserves some confetti for her performance in "Rejoined" but honestly, the lion's share of the credit should go to Terry Farrell (Dax) for making that story work.

Onward

Thank goodness there are still three seasons left to go.  

Squid Eats: Laundry Day Takeaway

It is time once again for the Vermont International Film Festival, just one more reason October in Vermont is awesome.  With a packed schedule of movies, it can be a challenge squeezing in meals.  Fortunately, they invite food trucks to help out at dinner time.

Laundry Day Takeaway is a Cajun/Creole truck based in Burlington.  This was our first experience with them.  I got a spicy crayfish pasta dish.  My wife got dirty rice which I couldn't try - contained nuts, a no-go for me.  The cornbread came free.  All was satisfying.  

The festival takes the "international" part of its name seriously.  A few of our films so far (producing nations in parentheses):

Promised Sky (Tunisia, France, Senegal) - 4 stars out of 5

Cutting Through Rocks (Qatar, Chile, Iran, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, US) - 4 stars

Miroirs No. 3 (Germany) - 3 stars

Interestingly, all three are led by female protagonists.

Star Trek: Body Parts

Episode: "Body Parts"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 25

Original Air Date: June 10, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Garak episode!

Quark has learned he is dying of a rare and untreatable disease.  True to form, he turns disaster into financial opportunity by selling off his eventual remains to the highest bidder.  Fortunately, he soon gets news that the doctor was in error and he's not actually dying.  Unfortunately, our old friend Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) was the winning bidder and he intends to hold Quark to the agreement: either have himself killed or break the deal, thus incurring the full wrath of the all-powerful Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA). 

Nearly thirty years later, "Body Parts" is better-remembered for its B-plot.  Keiko is injured in a runabout collision with an asteroid.  With her pregnancy at-risk, Dr. Bashir transports the fetus from Keiko to Kira who will now serve as the surrogate.

It's been a "problem" throughout the history of episodic television: what do you do when an actress becomes pregnant?  The most famous television pregnancy was Lucy Ricardo's in I Love Lucy.  Initially even the word pregnant was avoided.  Fortunately, it was easy enough to write the pregnancy into the story because, conveniently, the on-screen parents were also genuinely married off-screen.  But what do you do when the female character is unmarried?  Obviously, in our puritanical, patriarchal society, we can't have that.  Vice-President Dan Quayle's criticism of the fictional character Murphy Brown and the show's response are still considered key moments in the history of American cultural politics.

So what to do for Nana Visitor (Kira)?  What had Trek done before?  Gates McFadden was pregnant through part of the NextGen run and the bump was always cleverly hidden behind a desk or another set piece.  For Kira, they made a very different choice, one that opened up narrative possibilities regarding surrogacy.  Was it the right choice?  The actress was happy with it.  Without a doubt, that's the most important consideration. 

Let's give the A-plot its due.  Both Quark's and Rom's divergence from Firengi cultural expectations is an important, foundational arc of Deep Space Nine.  It's every bit as important as Odo's relationship with the Founders, Dax's rebellions against Trill norms and Worf's exile from the Klingon Empire  In fact, is not this broader question the very heart of the DS9 story: In a pluralist society, what is your relationship with your "home culture?"  What do you embrace?  What do you reject?  What are the consequences of either choice?  Each principal character - and many of the secondary ones - arrive at different answers over the course of the series and the choices shape their journeys. 

As ever, the Garak part of the story is a treat.  Quark hires our favorite tailor/spy to kill him.  The scene in which they plot Quark's own perfect murder is delightful. 

One more thought before we leave this episode, this one from the Purple Penguin: Deep Space Nine - even more than other Star Trek series - consistently promotes the idea of strength in community living.  In this, the show is a rare challenge to the monomyth of individualism which dominates American culture.  In "Body Parts," we see this most obviously in the way the entire station steps up to help Quark reopen the bar after Brunt shuts it down.  And it's in the pregnancy transfer story, too.  Of course, Kira will help the O'Briens in their time of need.  Because that's what you do in a caring, nurturing community.

The Creators

via Memory Alpha

When showrunner Michael Piller left DS9 after Season 2 for Voyager, there was an opening with the slightly older series.  The job went to Ira Steven Behr, to that point a co-executive producer for the show.

Behr was born in New York City, October 23, 1953.  After graduating from Lehman College, he moved to LA to pursue a screenwriting career.  Prior to Trek, he worked on several TV series including Bret Maverick, Fame and The Bronx Zoo.  Behr was originally hired as a producer for NextGen but left after one season, feeling stifled.  Piller persuaded him to come back for DS9. 

Pertinent to this week's episode, one of Behr's most important contributions from the beginning was the development of the Ferengi.  As previously discussed, the Ferengi were originally intended as the primary adversaries for Picard's Enterprise but that didn't work out.  In fact, most TNG Ferengi episodes are hopelessly weak.  Quark was really the first likable Ferengi in the franchise.  Among other things, Behr introduced the idea of the Rules of Acquisition, the guiding principles of Ferengi commerce. 

Behr's post-Trek work includes stints with Crash, Alphas and Outlanders.  He was also an important driving force behind What We Left Behind, a documentary about the making of DS9 built around interviews of cast and crew.  He is married to Laura Behr who has four choreography credits on Star Trek series. 

Squid Eats: Vermont Curry and Cocktails

via Vermont Curry and Cocktails

The name of this new restaurant in Winooski is certainly seductive: Vermont Curry and Cocktails.  We went to check it out with friends on Saturday night.  They advertise Bhutanese, Nepali and Indian curries and in reality, they offer plenty beyond that, too: Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Mexican...  We tried a bunch of stuff: steamed vegetable momo, chicken lo mein, vegetable biryani, garlic naan, chicken curry, chicken masala and saag paneer.  Everything was lovely and they take heat seriously.  Medium spicy was plenty.

Only one of us ordered a cocktail.  My wife got a Mai Tai which she enjoyed - very coconutty.  Especially considering the broad selections on the food menu, the cocktails were pretty standard.  No Manhattan, to my disappointment.  In fact, the only whiskey drink was a Jack and Coke.  One of our companions considered ordering off the menu - a cosmo - but didn't in the end so we don't know if they'd be willing.

Fortunately, beer and wine offerings were also adequate.  

Overall, a nice restaurant.  Service was lovely.  We only ever saw one waitress.  Space is simple.  Price is reasonable, especially for quality food: $140ish for five of us, with drinks.  We'd certainly go back - so much food to try!

Star Trek: The Quickening

Episode: "The Quickening"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 24

Original Air Date: May 20, 1996

via Memory Alpha

During a bio-survey mission in the Gamma Quadrant, Dax, Bashir and Kira respond to a distress signal.  They discover a world in the Teplan system that has been ravaged by a plague, a blight the Jem'Hadar had infected the population with when they resisted Dominion rule.  There is no cure for the painful disease.  The only medical care is merciful euthanasia.  Obviously, our good doctor is appalled and sets about finding a cure.

Season 4 has supplied several meaningful Julian stories.  Prior to "The Quickening," we've had both "Hippocratic Oath" and "Our Man Bashir."  This week's installment challenges his arrogance.  It's a good Dax development story, too - appropriate given the importance of the relationship to both characters.  A defining exchange:

Julian: Trevean was right. There is no cure. The Dominion made sure of that. But I was so arrogant, I thought I could find one in a week!

Jadzia: Maybe it was arrogant to think that. But it's even more arrogant to think there isn't a cure just because you couldn't find it.

My child, with whom I watch all of these episodes, offered a meaningful reflection: "it illustrates really well how much more of life Jadzia has lived and how much more of death she's died and experienced than Julian."

In the mid-'90s, the AIDS epidemic was very much on people's minds, especially in the entertainment industry, long a relatively safe space for gay men, a demographic disproportionately affected.  "The Quickening" started out as an AIDS allegory but veered off in other directions.  29 years later, while it is medically treatable, there is still no cure for AIDS, or even a vaccine like the one Dr. Bashir found in the end.  

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Michael Sarrazin played the role of Trevean, who administered the herbs which induced death for his fellow Teplans suffering from the blight.  He was born Jacques Michel André Sarrazin in Quebec City, May 22, 1940.  He grew up in Montreal.  His professional acting career began at age 17.  

Sarrazin's biggest role was Robert in Sydney Pollack's They Shoot Horses, Don't They?  Films include For Pete's Sake, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud and The Gumball Rally.  He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1978.

Sarrazin passed away in 2011 from mesothelioma.

Squid Flicks: La Ciénaga

Title: La Ciénaga

Director: Lucrecia Martel

Original Release Date: February 8, 2001

My Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

Mecha and her family are on holiday in northwestern Argentina.  She and her husband are useless, angry alcoholics.  Her children are lazy (truly, a surprising amount of the story involves people lying around in bed).  Her cousin and her family want to drive to Bolivia to buy school supplies.  Mecha thinks the indigenous maid, Isabel, is stealing linens.

Honestly, it's hard to know how to sum up the story, essentially a slice of life narrative about obnoxious upper-middle class people.  The paragraph above is as close as I can get to a synopsis.  I found it difficult to watch the film without getting anxious.  Few of the characters are especially likable and they're constantly hurting themselves and getting impatient with one another.  Evidently, audience anxiety was a genuine goal of Director Martel, so, mission accomplished.

The most interesting character is Isabel for the simple reason that her story is shrouded in mystery.  While you know way too much about most of the principals (so many scenes shot in the bedroom and the bathroom - none of it lewd, mind you), much of Isabel's tale is told in conversations with her boyfriend to which the audience is not privy.  Why does she leave the job in the end?  Because her boss is racist and cruel and the boss's daughter won't leave her alone?  Those would be the obvious and understandable reasons but is there more?  Is she pregnant?  Is her own family's need for her real and what's that all about?  So many questions in a movie where little is hidden from the audience.

Some critics have named La Ciénaga the greatest Argentine film of all time.  Not for me.  I prefer Nine Queens.  I don't think I'd ever watch this movie again but I do imagine I'd pick up on more with a second viewing.  It certainly leaves one with a lot to think about.  So call it a high 3.

Star Trek: Basics, Part I

Episode: "Basics, Part I"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 26

Original Air Date: May 20, 1996

via Wikipedia

Voyager receives a hail from Seska - a former crewmate, who turned out to be a spy, and also Chakotay's former lover.  She is with the Kazon now, having shacked up with Maje Culluh.  Seska has given birth to Chakotay's child (long story) and claims both she and the child are now in danger.  Our friends set off to help, knowing full well they may be walking into a trap.  Sure enough, Culluh's band ultimately take control of the ship, marooning the entire crew (with a few important exceptions) on Hanov IV, a primitive planet.

A couple of meaningful ongoing narratives intersect in "Basics," a season-bridging two-parter.  In addition to the Seska fiasco (an in-story mess - I have no problem with it from a production perspective), Lon Suder is back.  Last time we saw Suder, he had permanently been confined to quarters after murdering Crewman Frank Darwin.  The beneficiary of Tuvok's guidance, Suder is a new man.  Now well along the path to reform, Suder wants to find a way to contribute to the ship and its mission, within the terms of his confinement.  He has an idea for developing the airponics vegetable garden.  

Unfortunately, Suder's presentation of his plan to Captain Janeway doesn't go well.  However, he may yet have a chance to help out.  During the Kazon attack, a hole is blown in Suder's quarters and he is technically freed.  He evades discovery during the Kazon search of the vessel.

At episode's end, three characters are unaccounted for by the Kazon: Paris, who had left the ship on a shuttle mission, Suder and The Doctor, who had deactivated himself for exactly twelve hours to avoid capture.  

Overall, it's a solid cliffhanger heading into the summer break.

Recurring characters don't hold the same prominence in Voyager that they do in DS9 so it's interesting that such an important episode depends so heavily on two of them.  It is also, as we shall soon see, nearly the end of the line for both.

Thoughts on Season Two

General Impressions

It is a tale of two seasons.  The first half-plus is truly terrible.  When fans speak of the clunky awkwardness of Voyager, they offer episodes like "Twisted" and "Threshold" as evidence.  Plus, there is the nearly unwatchable Neelix-as-jealous-boyfriend thread.  After a strong first season, the early stumbles of the second are deeply discouraging, especially with Deep Space Nine knocking it out of the park practically every week. 

But an interesting thing happened after "Threshold," the 15th episode.  Season 2's final eleven are strong, beginning with "Meld," Suder's debut.  "Dreadnaught," "Lifesigns," "Innocence" and "Tuvix" are all gems.  Just as importantly, there are no true clunkers in the home stretch.  Principal characters find depth.  Compelling ethical dilemmas abound.  Maybe Voyager has finally found sure footing.

Maybe.

Favorite Episode: "Lifesigns"

At this point, I would say Tuvok and the Doctor are battling for the lead as best-developed character of the series.  "Lifesigns" gives the EMH a slight edge.  The Doctor's entire arc is a quest for broader agency, yet falling in love catches him off-guard.  He didn't even realize it was possible.

I'm gonna let you all behind the curtain for a minute.  That's what falling in love is really like.  If you're lucky, you grow up with a fairy-tale inkling of what "true love" is.  You may have meaningful real-world models and you certainly have plenty of pop culture material to feed into your ideal.  You may have early experiences that are gratifying and likely others that are disappointing.  You may indeed have cared a great deal for one or two of your early partners and they for you.  

It's all prequel.

When the real thing hits you for the first time, it's a freight train.  Whatever concepts you had before suddenly seem quaint and silly.  The whole world is new.  Your life before and your life after are two completely different tales.  It is not a universal experience.  Not everyone knows that kind of love in their lifetime.  How do I know?  Because the world would be a very different place if they did.

That is the love I see portrayed in "Lifesigns" and that is why I believe it.

Least Favorite Episode: "Twisted"

With two series running simultaneously, the Star Trek machine was under a lot of pressure.  Producing 26 episodes a year would have been demanding enough.  Generating 50+ definitely over-extended the operation.  As such, it shouldn't be shocking that a few undeniable heaps of garbage were peppered among the genuinely brilliant installments.

"Twisted" was one of four episodes left over from the first season's production run.  The writing is awful. The story was too short so they padded already weak material with further crap.  The space-time anomaly well was already running dry.  And my god, can we please find a merciful exit for Neelix, already?

They should have left this one in the can.

Favorite Recurring Character: Danara

via Memory Alpha

While "Lifesigns" is a showcase for the Doctor, it works because of Danara, his phage-suffering Vidiian love interest.  Neither character understands what is happening to them and, to my point above, that's exactly what makes it believable.  The Doctor's holographic emotional range is limited so Danara is the more interesting of the partners to watch.  We can still see the love in her eyes when she returns in "Resolutions."

All credit to actress Susan Diol.

Favorite Blast from the Past: Will Riker

In "Death Wish," Q summons our old pal Will Riker to Voyager for Quinn's asylum hearing.  Unfortunately for the long term, he's sent back to the Alpha Quadrant quickly afterwards with no memory of the incident.  The glimpse of Voyager's circumstances `could have been meaningful in our friends' prospects for getting home.

But the brief cameo is good fun.

Favorite Guest Actor, One-Shot: Tom Wright as Tuvix

via Memory Alpha

Boy, is it a tough call on this one.  This is no small honor for Wright as he's beaten out Broadway megastar Joel Grey.  Grey was wonderful but Wright had the tougher job.  Two characters merged into one: that's not a typical ask of an actor.  Then Tuvix had to plead for his right to exist - sadly not unusual at all in reality or fiction.  Wright's performance is a triumph.

Onward

Season 3 is an important one for Voyager as it is the last with the original principal cast.  We'll be saying goodbye to someone soon.  There was much hand-wringing among the producers over the fact the series wasn't thriving as many had hoped.  The season ends with a big Hail Mary throw, one that ultimately rescues not only Voyager but arguably the entire franchise.  

But we're not quite there yet.  Stay tuned.

Squid Perks: Café Yamabiko

Another of our favorite spots in Sutton, Quebec (see last week's post) is Café Yamabiko.  I got a fine cappuccino.  Ever since our Spain trip, my wife has been in search of the perfect cortado.  While nothing has quite lived up to the memory, Yamabiko's offering was her North American favorite so far.

We are also both charmed by the café's Japanese decorative touches.  The mountain scenery photos adorning the walls could just as easily be Japan or Quebec.  My guess would be Quebecois mountains with Japanese aesthetic framing.  Or perhaps the other way around.  Or maybe a combination of both.  Whatever, it's lovely.  As one with a deep love for both places, it soothes my soul either way.

Star Trek: To the Death

Episode: "To the Death"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 4, Episode 23

Original Air Date: May 13, 1996

via Memory Alpha

A renegade band of Jem'Hadar attack the station in order to steal supplies.  They leave heavy casualties and a destroyed upper pylon in their wake.  Sisko leads the Defiant in pursuit.  The crew encounter a separate, damaged Jem'Hadar ship and rescue the survivors, consisting of six soldiers and Weyoun, their Vorta commander, played by the ubiquitous Jeffrey Combs.  The combined crew must work together to find the rogue warriors and destroy the Iconian gateway (see TNG's "Contagion") they are using for quick interstellar transportation.  Tension and mistrust run high.  

The overall narrative plan for the Jem'Hadar ran counter to well-established Trek norms.  The long-standing attitude: if you get to know an antagonist culture - the Klingons, the Romulans, even the Cardassians - better, you'll learn to like them.  The idea of a story like "To the Death" was the opposite: if you get to know the Jem'Hadar better, you'll find them even more terrifying.  The lab-bred killers are ruthless towards foe and comrade alike, with no apparent path towards reform or redemption.  The Jem'Hadar are just plain bad.

With this episode, I was struck by the similarities between Trek's Jem'Hadar and Star Wars's Clone Troopers.  Both are genetically engineered as a slave army for superior beings whom they revere essentially as gods.  It's worth noting the Trek idea came first, though there must have at least been an inkling for George Lucas early on as there's a reference to The Clone Wars in the original 1977 film.  I'm always curious about the influences the two franchises have had on each other over the years.  Direct, obvious links are rare.  Perhaps this is one.

At least until Order 66, the Clone Troopers are a lot friendlier.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Clarence Williams III played the role of Omet'iklan, the "First" among the Jem'Hadar soldiers who join our friends.  Williams was born in New York City, August 21, 1939.  Before pursuing an acting career, he served for two years in the Army as a paratrooper.  Before appearing on screen, he had a successful stage career in New York, including a Tony nomination for Slow Dance on the Killing Ground.

The big break came in 1968 when Williams was cast as one of the three leads in The Mod Squad, a show daring for its topical content, its interracial cast and its embrace of late '60s counterculture.  Films included Purple Rain, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Half-Baked.  

Williams died of colon cancer in 2021.

Squid Eats: Auberge Sutton Brouërie

It's an exciting time of year in my part of the world.  I love summer here in northern New England but it's no secret the more dazzling show comes in autumn.  Peak foliage is still weeks away but even the early stages are stunning.  It's a great time of year for a drive to pretty much anywhere.  The colors are just as rich in Quebec as they are in Vermont so northward is as gratifying a direction as any.

Sutton isn't too far from us, less than a 90-minute drive and only about 8 miles from the US-Canada border.  The English town name isn't accidental.  The region of Quebec closest to us - known as Canton de l'Est en Français, Eastern Townships in English - was settled by British loyalists during the American Revolution.  It is, in our admittedly limited experience, the most genuinely bilingual part of the province.  It's not unusual to sit at a restaurant near a group of teenagers who switch effortlessly between the two languages, often mid-sentence.  I can assure you, it is not like that for their (likely literal) cousins just a few miles away on the Vermont side of the border.  

Sutton itself is a charming little town, population 4,548, with nice restaurants and cute boutique shops.  Our favorite spot is Auberge Sutton Brouërie, a microbrewery.  They're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and we've done all three.  Overnight lodging is also available and we've taken advantage of that, too, though not on this visit.  The cuisine is pub-typical with expected Quebecois twists like poutine.  I ordered the Beebop Cheeseburger, my wife the smoked salmon bagel.  Both were more than satisfactory.

The highlight is the beer.  My go-to is the Sutton-IK IPA.  It's a hoppy brew with strong citrus notes which makes it a happy medium between the beers I typically like and the ones my wife prefers.  Unfortunately, I don't think it's for sale anywhere on the American side but it's worth the trip.  We brought a couple bottles home.

And no, I have no idea what the "IK" is all about.

Star Trek: Resolutions

Episode: "Resolutions"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 2, Episode 25

Original Air Date: May 13, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Janeway and Chakotay have been infected with a terrible disease when insects bite them during an away mission.  The Doctor fails to find a cure.  On the bright side, as long as the two stay on the planet, the effects of the disease are kept in check.  On the down side, that means they must be abandoned as Voyager carries on without them.  

From this point, two separate but equally interesting narratives play out.  On the planet, the castaways build a new life.  Well, Chakotay, at least, is determined to do everything possible to make the situation comfortable but Janeway is equally determined to find a cure for the disease so they can leave.  Inevitably, they also need to sort out the realities of their quickly evolving relationship under new circumstances.

Meanwhile, back on the ship, Tuvok is left in charge.  Making a deal with the dreaded Vidiians for a possible cure seems a logical move, at least to most of the crew.  Tuvok, however, loyally follows Janeway's parting orders to stay away from the Vidiians and continue the journey homeward.  Tensions mount.  Kim openly challenges the acting captain on the bridge.  Later, he appeals to him in his quarters.  Tuvok doesn't budge.  Finally, Kes convinces Tuvok that while he may be unwilling to let emotions cloud his own judgment, he still has a responsibility to the emotional well-being of his crew. 

Go, Kes!

Long term, the episode is probably best remembered for the will-they-won't-they question posed regarding Janeway and Chakotay.  It was 1996, deep in the age of Ross and Rachel.  Will-they-won't-they was seemingly all anyone wanted out of television.  NextGen deftly avoided it for the most part but there's plenty of it in both DS9 and Voyager.  With "Resolutions," the writers left it to the viewers to decide what happened between the two while stranded on the planet.  I think Kate Mulgrew was right to fight against the over-sexualization of her character and this story respects that.

Plus, the brief return of Danara, the doctor's former sweetheart, is a welcome treat.  She clearly still loves him.  He's predictably officious.

Acting Notes

via Criminal Minds Wiki

Bahni Turpin played the role of Ensign Swinn.  "Resolutions" was the second of two appearances in the part.  Turpin was born June 4, 1962 in Pontiac, Michigan.  Films include Daughters of the Dust, Rain Without Thunder and Malcolm X.  Other television guest appearances include Seinfeld, ER and Criminal Minds.

A lot of actors do audiobook narrations as a side gig.  Bahni Turpin, on the other hand, is one of the best in the business and she has the accolades to prove it.  Her industry awards include 9 Aubie Awards, 14 Earphone Awards, 2 Odyssey Awards and induction into Audible's Narrator Hall of Fame.  Her narrations include The Help by Kathryn Stockett, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.  

Squid Plays: Dominion

Dominion is an important tabletop game in the history of the the hobby as one of the earliest and most influential deck-building games.  Following a medieval theme, you begin with a ten-card deck, mostly currency.  Gradually, you add action cards with names like Village, Market, Cellar and Moat which gain certain advantages: extra cards, extra plays, extra money and so forth.  Whoever accumulates the most victory points wins.  An entire subgenre of games have been developed along this model.

Dominion was originally published in 2008 but I'd never played until last fall when the boys and I tried it out.  I've since played a couple times with my wife, too.  We've all enjoyed it.  The original box includes 26 action cards.  One can vary gameplay depending on which 10 of them you use each time.  There are both pre-set and randomized options for this variance.  There are also numerous expansion sets available for even more variety.  

While the game concept itself is fantastic, one of the biggest things Dominion has going for it is the organizing tray provided so you don't have to resort the cards each time.  

The BoardGameGeek rating is 7.6 out of 10.  I'll be more generous and give it an 8.  

On the Coffee Table: Rawand Issa

Title: Inside the Giant Fish

Writer and Artist: Rawand Issa

In this graphic memoir, creator Rawand Issa describes her childhood in El Jiyeh, a seaside town in Lebanon.  She and her family were effectively shut off from her fondest, earliest memories when private resorts cut off access to what was once a public beach.

There's no shortage of stories about how much Lebanon has changed in recent decades.  Civil wars and military occupations by both Syria and Israel have devastated a once beautiful country.  Issa's tale is unusual for the fact that it mostly ignores the violence, focusing instead on how privatization and politics combined to separate the town's local population from an ocean that defined its culture for generations.

The book is neither long nor densely worded.  I read it in a single sitting - maybe half an hour.  The artwork is rather boxy, though boldly colored.  Inside the Giant Fish (Jonah's whale is the metaphor here) makes a simple point quite elegantly.  Solid work.