Star Trek: Facets

Episode: "Facets"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 25

Original Air Date: June 12, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Jadzia performs the zhian'tara ritual in which she meets each of the Dax symbiont's previous hosts.  She asks each of seven friends - Benjamin, Kira, Odo, Bashir, O'Brien, Quark and Leeta (in her second of 16 appearances) - to embody one of the previous hosts in turn.  Meanwhile, Nog takes the Starfleet entrance exam.  

The Dax story is highly rewarding.  The idea of exploring "previous lives" is a popular fantasy in our own world, of course - white culture's egocentric oversimplification of an ancient Hindu belief.  Moving right on past that, Jadzia's relationship with the previous hosts runs deeper.  They're not exactly dead.  In a sense, they live on through the symbiont and, at least for the moment, through her.  As she meets each one, she learns more about what they all added to the complete being that is her current self.  Perhaps the more meaningful equivalent is meeting one's own ancestors, a fantasy I'll admit to entertaining myself.

However she gained her complexities, Jadzia has been one of DS9's most dynamic characters from the beginning.  I find her confrontation with Curzon (via Odo) regarding his original rejection of her as an initiate especially interesting from a broader, behind-the-scenes Star Trek perspective.  Curzon admits to falling in love with her - and being in love with her still.  He rejected her from the program because he was in love with her.

Well, isn't that interesting?  A man in power blocks the career progress of a woman.  His own infatuation with her prevents him from seeing her as someone with independent value.  Curzon repeatedly refers to Jadzia as a "little girl" even though he has only ever known her as an adult woman. (He apologizes for that - sort of)  His feelings of vulnerability lead him to see her as a threat through no fault of hers.  The frequently terrible treatment of female actors on The Next Generation is well documented.  One can't help but wonder if writer René Echevarria is unconsciously revealing all-too-typical male attitudes, within Trek's production staff, within the industry, within broader society.

"Facets" provides meaningful development for three recurring characters: Rom, Nog and Leeta.  Leeta (Chase Masterson) only became one of Jadzia's "best friends" because Rosalind Chao (Keiko) was unavailable.  Leeta will become more important moving forward, a fine example herself of a female character growing into more than just a pretty face.

Food Notes

At the bar, Curzon (Odo) orders Tranya, the same drink offered by Balok in the original series classic, "The Corbomite Maneuver."  The original prop was actually grapefruit juice.  There are numerous online recipes, including this one.  

Root beer is mentioned for the first time on DS9, the beginning of a running gag.  For Quark, the drink is emblematic of his general disappointment in human taste.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Jefrey Alan Chandler played the role of the Trill Guardian who guides Jadzia in the zhian-tara.  It was Chandler's second of two Trek appearances within just a few months, having also been in Voyager's "Emanations."  Chandler was born in New York City, September 9, 1944.  He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University.

Chandler made guest appearances on several television series, including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and ER.  Films included La Bamba, In the Mood and Iron Will.  He died of liver failure in 2001.

Squid Eats: Trattoria Delia

Trattoria Delia is an upscale Italian place in Burlington, Vermont.  My wife and I went on a recent Saturday night after two movies at the Vermont International Film Festival.  We were seated in a little nook not far from the front door which provided a view of the entire restaurant, great for people watching.  We were grateful to have a reservation as we saw many turned away at the door.

I had Brasato di Manzo (braised short-rib) while my wife had the Pesce del Giorno (fish of the day: halibut, in this case).  We split an order of tiramisu for dessert.  I naïvely asked for a sharp knife for my beef.  It was plenty soft enough to tear apart with just a fork.  We both cleaned our plates.

Service was friendly and professional, maybe a touch slow.  We got impatient for dessert.  Decor is dark wood with low ceilings, though still providing a surprisingly open space.  Our guess at most of the clientele was University of Vermont (UVM) parents in town, taking their kids and their kids' friends out for a nice dinner.  There was a lot of that this weekend.  Because of the spectacular fall colors, Vermont is a popular destination in October and if you can spend some time with your kids, too, why not make the trip?

Star Trek: Shakaar

Episode: "Shakaar"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 24

Original Air Date: May 22, 1995

via Memory Alpha

Kai Winn, Bajor's spiritual leader, has now also been appointed First Minister.  She pays Major Kira a visit and asks a favor.  Kira hates Winn, blaming her for the death of Kira's lover Vedek Bareil among numerous other offenses.  What's more, helping Winn involves confronting an old friend of comrade of Kira's: Shakaar Edon, her former leader in the Resistance.  Shakaar stole soil reclamators and Winn wants them back.  Reluctantly, Kira agrees to help for the sake of the greater good.

"Shakaar" is our best Bajoran political story in a while.  As ever, Kira's conflicted loyalties drive the narrative, though this time, at least, Commander Sisko supports her adventure all the way through.  

Acting Notes

via Charmed Wiki

Diane Salinger (no relation to the famous author that I could find) played the role of Lupaza, another former member of Shakaar's and Kira's Resistance cell.  Salinger was born January 25, 1951 in Wilmington, Delaware.  She will return as Lupaza in Season 5.

Salinger is best known as Apollonia, one of the fortunetellers in Carnivàle.  She also had recurring roles on The Young and the Restless, Salem and Ronstadt.  Films include Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Batman Returns and Pee-wee's Big Holiday.

Squid Flicks: Joint Security Area

Title: Joint Security Area

Director: Park Chan-wook

Original Release: September 9, 2000

My Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

via Amazon

Two North Korean soldiers are killed in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and a South Korean soldier has confessed to the crime.  Swiss Army Major Sophie E. Jean, of Korean heritage herself, is brought in to investigate on behalf of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission.  The film is based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang-yeon.

To tell much more would be to spoil the story and I would hate to do anything to discourage anyone from seeking out this outstanding movie.  It reminds me of A Few Good Men in many ways except the narrative is told mostly from the perspective of the soldiers rather than the investigator.  The basic theme: people are basically decent.  War is the madness.  The madness runs deep when two nations are officially in a state of war for multiple generations.

Joint Security Area was a blockbuster hit in both South Korea and Japan.  It was, at the time of its release, the highest-grossing film ever in South Korea.  It also won four Grand Bell Awards, South Korea's Oscar-equivalent, including best picture.  Quentin Tarantino has claimed it as one of his favorites.

It's not just BTS, folks.  A lot of exciting creative work has been coming out of South Korea for a long time.  It was hard to see it coming when I lived in East Asia a quarter-century ago but this country historically overshadowed by Japan and China is leading the charge in the Asian Century.

Star Trek: Learning Curve

Episode: "Learning Curve"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 1, Episode 16

Original Air Date: May 22, 1995

via Memory Alpha

A few Maquis are struggling to adjust to Starfleet protocols.  Tuvok takes it upon himself to train them.  Not surprisingly, his heavy-handed approach to enforcing conformity doesn't go over too well.  Meanwhile, the ship's bio-neural gel packs are suffering from a debilitating illness and it's spreading quickly.  Also, Janeway's 19th-century England holonovel continues in the second of three installments.

As we reach the end of the first season, it's a great time for broad generalizations.  So far, I feel the most compelling Voyager episodes are the ones that adhere most closely either to the desire to get home or the struggles to integrate the Starfleet and Maquis crews.  It's not surprising.  Especially in the early going, one would imagine those two problems would be foremost in the minds of the characters so building stories built around them seems natural.  The series runs into trouble when it veers too far away from either.

"Learning Curve" is a good one for exploring the tension and also for Tuvok development.

Food Notes

Wouldn't you know, cheese from Neelix's kitchen is the cause of the gel pack trouble.  Fortunately, the same cheese also provides the solution.

Thoughts on Season One

General Impressions

For the most part, Voyager's first season is strong.  It's no stretch at all to say it's better than TNG's first (low bar).  More surprising to me personally is the fact that I might even be willing to concede that it's stronger than DS9's first.  Mind you, Voyager Season 1 is still light years short of where Deep Space Nine is by the concurrent Season 3.  But it's a strong start.

Favorite Episode: "Eye of the Needle"

The series's seventh episode is rock solid, beginning to end.  "Eye of the Needle" deals more intimately with the emotional struggles of being so far from home than any other installment thus far.  Our heroes come tantalizingly close to finding a shortcut back to the Alpha Quadrant, only to have hope snatched away.  It's cruel and it's real.  Every crew member - even so-tough-she-doesn't-care Torres - feels the sting.  

The story also provides meaningful development for the Doctor-Kes relationship, one of the best among the principals thus far.

Least Favorite Episode: "Cathexis" 

A mysterious entity is taking over the minds of the crew one at a time.  Mental possession has an unfortunate legacy in the Star Trek canon, beginning with the notoriously terrible "Spock's Brain" from TOS's third season.  "Cathexis" does little to improve the reputation for this thread.  It's also one of several stories that tread a fine line between innocuous and disrespectful when addressing Chakotay's Native American heritage.  When the wooden flute music kicks in, look out.

Favorite Recurring Character: Seska

via Memory Alpha

Honestly, it's surprising there aren't more characters on Voyager like Seska, former Maquis who simply could never be fully won over.  Of course, there's more to Seska, played by Martha Hackett.  She's Chakotay's former lover.  She turns out to be a spy and, in fact, a Cardassian in disguise.  There aren't a lot of recurring characters to choose from at this early stage but even in a more crowded field, Seska would be a strong choice.

Favorite Blast from the Past: Robert Duncan McNeill

For devotees, there was a familiar face in the principal cast when Voyager launched.  Robert Duncan McNeill, now in the role of Tom Paris, had previously played Nick Locarno in the excellent NextGen episode "The First Duty."  There are other important similarities between Tom and Nick, similarities not lost on the actor when he auditioned for the gig.  

Favorite Guest Actor, One Shot: Vaughn Armstrong

via Memory Alpha

For Armstrong, the role of Doctor Telek R'Mor is one of numerous Trek appearances over four different series.  But "The Eye of the Needle" is R'Mor's only story.  The encounter between him and Janeway is clearly intended to contrast sharply with the one between Kirk and The Romulan Commander in "Balance of Terror."  Perhaps this is indeed the different reality where a Starfleet captain and a Romulan could friends.  It couldn't have worked with a lesser actor.  Armstrong brought the goods.

Onward

Keeping both Voyager and Deep Space Nine going at the same time was clearly not easy.  It was hard enough coming up with 25 quality episodes a season, never mind over 50.  By Season 4, DS9 was humming along beautifully.  Could Voyager keep up? 

We shall find out together.

Squid Flicks: Ikiru

Title: Ikiru

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Original Release: October 9, 1952

My Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

Kanji Watanabe is a government bureaucrat.  One day, he discovers (or correctly guesses) that he has terminal stomach cancer and only has a few months to live.  Inspired by a cheerful young colleague, he turns his life around.  Trapped in a career of aimless drudgery, he devotes his final days to championing the construction of a new public park.

Many critics, including Roger Ebert, have named Ikiru as Kurosawa's greatest masterpiece, a distinction which automatically places it on a short list of the best films ever made.  The story was inspired in part by Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Illych.  Watanabe is performed by Takashi Shimura who appeared in 21 of Kurosawa's 30 movies, more than any other actor.  Shimura played the very different Kambei Shimada, the leader of the Seven Samurai, if you want a sense of his range.  The director's cinematographic genius shines throughout.  In Ikiru, I was particularly aware of his shots of characters (usually Watanabe) in silhouette against the sky.

The pacing is on the slow side at times but it's nearly impossible not to feel moved by the story by the end.  It is the most universal tale of all: the search for meaning in life.  Is it Kurosawa's best?  For me, it's hard to put anything above Seven Samurai but it's a bit like picking among Shakespeare plays.  They're all works of genius.

Star Trek: Family Business

Episode: "Family Business"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 3, Episode 23

Original Air Date: May 15, 1995

via Memory Beta

Quark is in trouble.  More accurately, his mother Ishka is in trouble and Quark, as her eldest son, will be expected to shoulder the blame.  She has earned profit, one of many things Ferengi females are not supposed to do.  Quark shuts down the bar and rushes off to the home world of Ferenginar, hoping to sort things out.  Rom insists on tagging along.  

Meanwhile, Jake Sisko succeeds in setting his father up on a date with freighter captain Kasidy Yates.  The evening goes well then really takes off when Yates reveals her brother is a baseball player, the game being one of Benjamin's great passions, esoteric by 24th century standards.  Spoiler alert: while it takes a while for the relationship to achieve permanent status, Yates will be a recurring character for the rest of the series.

"Family Business" has a lot going for it.  Ferengi sexual politics are downright icky.  Females are expected to stay naked, to remain at home, to refrain from speaking to a male outside the immediate family, to not only prepare but also pre-chew the family's food and to refrain from business.  Ishka rebels against all of it, a source of endless frustration and embarrassment for Quark.  

Rom is ultimately the story's hero.  Rom adores his mother - only ever referring to her by the endearment Moogie - and she him.  We soon learn that the boys' deceased father had been a constant failure in business.  Ishka herself was the financial genius, teaching Quark everything she knew while accumulating her own well-concealed fortune.  Rom inherited his gentler demeanor and his devotion to family from dear old Dad.  Rom is the one who finally stands up to both Quark and Ishka, forcing them to reconcile and saving the day for all.

As I've said before, much of Deep Space Nine's strength derives from its deep bench.  Garack will always be my favorite recurring character but not for lack of other worthy candidates.  "Family Business" is a fantastic Rom episode and he only gets better over the rest of the series.  Yates herself will be essential to Benjamin's character development.  The episode also introduces Brunt, one of so many Star Trek characters played by Jeffrey Combs.  Brunt exits this story saying he hopes he never sees the others again.  He'll be back for six more episodes.

Acting Notes

via Hanna-Barbera Wiki

Andrea Martin (Ishka) was born January 15, 1947 in Portland, Maine.  She graduated from Emerson College in Boston.  She was the first of two actors to play the role of Ishka.

Though American, Martin built her early career in the company of Canadian comedy royalty.  After relocating to Toronto, she was cast in a production of Godspell with then-unknowns Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy and Victor Garber.  Later, she joined the legendary sketch show SCTV, appearing alongside Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis and Joe Flaherty.  Martin was nominated for ten Emmys for her work on the show, one for acting, the rest for writing.  She won twice, both for writing. 

Martin made her Broadway debut in 1992 and has since been nominated for a Best Featured Actress Tony six times.  She's won twice, for My Favorite Year in 1993 and a Pippin revival in 2013.  As if all of that weren't enough, there have been films, too, including Wag the Dog, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.