Star Trek: Frame of Mind

Episode: "Frame of Mind"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 6, Episode 21

Original Air Date: May 3, 1993

via Memory Alpha

Realities are blurred for Riker.  His consciousness keeps shifting between the Enterprise and "Ward 47" in a mental hospital on an alien world.  Further confusing matters is his role in a stage play in which he plays a mental patient.

Is the entire series a delusion?  Interestingly, the episode doesn't answer that question right away.  "Frame of Mind" tends to rank high on best-of lists.  I admire its production quality.  There's also a wonderful scene in which Riker classifies projections of Troi, Worf and Picard as representations of his own psychological aspects, just the sort of exercise this blogger enjoys (see here).  Overall, I prefer the similar "First Contact."  The fourth season episode feels more connected to the broader series concept.  "Frame of Mind," while clever, feels less Trek to me.  

It's a decent Riker story.  While I haven't written as much about it recently, I still wonder about the Riker character in general.  What is his broader narrative purpose on NextGen?  Couldn't this episode just as easily have been a Picard story?  Don't misunderstand: I like Riker and I like Jonathan Frakes.  And he serves as an important template for the series moving forward, especially for Chakotay on Voyager.  My question is whether or not he's entirely necessary.  Of all the seven principals, despite his second billing, I still see him as the most expendable, six seasons in.  I am sure that was not the intention.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

David Selburg plays the role of Syrus, Riker's psychiatrist in Ward 47.  Selburg was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, December 17, 1948.  "Frame of Mind" was his second of four Trek appearances as four characters in three different series.  Other television gigs include Hill Street Blues, The Wonder Years and ER.  Big screen work includes The Man with One Red Shoe, Species and The Bourne Identity.

Squid Mixes: Cider Battles VI, Unified Press

Unified Press (UP) is Citizen Cider's flagship product, by far the one most likely to be found in Vermont bars.  It's marketed as "semi-dry" which places is it on the sweet end of the company's standard offerings.  Welcome to the arena, UP...

Citizen Cider Unified Press vs. Citizen Cider The Dirty Mayor (DM)

First, the Swizzle comparison.  As pleasant as The Dirty Mayor's ginger kick is, it complicates matters in a mixed drink.  Ginger is always a flavor heavyweight so it's not so great if you want to taste other ingredients.  As such, the Unified Press works better here.  It's also more apple-y, something my wife in particular has been seeking in these tastings and, until now, not finding.  

Winner, Swizzle Category: Citizen Cider Unified Press

In the Sipping battle, we had, for the first time, a difference of opinion.  Given her love for ginger, I fully expected my wife to prefer the DM but, in fact, she liked the UP for its stronger apple flavor.  I guess it all depends what you're looking for in a given situation.

I still prefer the DM.  The ginger provides more body and dimension, thus a more satisfying overall experience.  Plus, the UP has a similar funky aftertaste to the one I described in Pearsecco.  Both the ginger in the DM and the other ingredients in the D-Day Swizzle seem to take care of the problem.

Winner and New Champion, Sipping Category, Her Preference: Citizen Cider Unified Press

Winner and Still Champion, Sipping Category, His Preference: Citizen Cider The Dirty Mayor

Star Trek: The Storyteller

Episode: "The Storyteller"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 1, Episode 14

Original Air Date: May 2, 1993

via Memory Alpha

Dr. Bashir is summoned for a medical emergency in a Bajoran village.  Commander Sisko sends Chief O'Brien with him.  It quickly becomes obvious that O'Brien doesn't like Bashir much but the latter does his best to make pals anyway.  It's a good thing Miles was along for the ride, though.  The village's spiritual leader, the Sirah, is dying and picks O'Brien as his successor.  As might be expected, that doesn't work out too well.

I've been waiting for an eye-roller and I believe this one is it.  The role of the Sirah is to fend off an energy cloud from attacking the city by telling stories which inspire the villagers to resist.  It's pretty hokey - original series-level hokey.  

And yet, once again, even a DS9 clunker has merit.  The episode marks the beginning of one of the more endearing series threads: the close friendship between Julian and Miles.  "A bromance is born," our progeny said in our recent rewatch.  And the B-plot is surprisingly sweet.  Tetrarch Varis Sul, the 15-year-old leader of another village, represents the interest of her people in tense negotiations with a neighboring community.  The young woman draws the interest of Jake and especially Nog.  The story provides a nice glimpse of the elder Sisko's leadership.  From the beginning, he takes Varis seriously, even as she frustrates his efforts to make peace.  For her part, Varis warms to Ben as she comes to see him through Jake's eyes.

The O'Brien as Sirah story is based on Rudyard Kipling's "The Man Who Would Be King."

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Lawrence Monoson played the role of Hovath, the more worthy successor as Sirah.  Monoson was born August 11, 1964 in Yonkers, New York.  Films include Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, Mask and the HBO movie And the Band Played On, for which he received a CableACE Award nomination.  He had recurring roles on several television series, including Prince Street, ER and Resurrection Blvd.  "The Storyteller" is his first of two Star Trek appearances on two different series.

Squid Eats: Filos Greek Taverna

Filos Greek Taverna in Northampton, Massachusetts has a wide variety of offerings: the souvlaki and gyros you'd expect from a Greek restaurant but also brick oven pizza and, at least according to a 2017 poll, the best french fries in the state.  I got my standard Greek lunch order: a chicken souvlaki wrap.  It was alright - good but nothing to write home about.  I expect we'll be back, though, and if we do, I'll want to explore the french fry (they have poutine!) and pizza offerings.  Plus, they have a galaktobukero for dessert.  I'm a sucker for anything with phyllo dough.

For me, every Greek restaurant competes with one that went out of business about 27 years ago: The Grand Cafe in St. Paul, Minnesota.  My mouth still waters when I think of their chicken souvlaki wrap.  No one since has quite compared.

On the Coffee Table: Old Boy

Title: Old Boy, Volume 7

Writer: Garon Tsuchiya

Artist: Nobuaki Minegeshi

via Amazon

The Old Boy manga has gained a lot more traction in world mainstream media than most, inspiring live action feature films by big name directors in both South Korea (Park Chan-wook) and the United States (Spike Lee).  The basic story: Goto, a gangster (presumably), is freed after 10 years of captivity in a private prison.  He doesn't know exactly who has done this to him or why.  The series follows his efforts to piece it all together.

I will admit, it's all rather difficult to follow.  Goto has friends and, evidently, a lover, too, but it's hard to tell whom he can actually trust - who truly is on his side and not also being manipulated.  Volume 7 covers issues #60-69, all originally published in 1997.  By this point in the overall story, Goto has discovered his nemesis, Kakinuma, who evidently holds a lifelong grudge from childhood.  But the full implications of the grudge are yet to be understood.

As confusing as the story is clearly intended to be, it's beautifully told and highly intriguing.  The series has gone out of traditional print in the United States but is still available digitally on Comixology.  So, I may dig further some day.  It was only by chance that this print copy fell into my hands and I'm glad it did.

The biggest treat for me personally is the strong sense of setting.  1997 Tokyo, you see, is my Tokyo.  I lived in nearby Yokohama from 1996-98 and spent a great deal of time in the capital.  I know the back streets of Shinjuku and Shibuya.  I know the landmarks: Tokyo Municipal Building, Almond in Roppongi.  I recognize the cell phones of the era.  It all looks and feels right in my nostalgic, ex-pat view.

Star Trek: The Chase

Episode: "The Chase"

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Season 6, Episode 20

Original Air Date: April 26, 1993

via Memory Alpha

An old friend of Captain Picard comes for a visit.  Professor Galen, Jean-Luc's archaeology mentor, invites his protégé along for one last adventure.  While our good captain declines, adventure comes to him when Galen is killed moments after he departs.  It falls to the Enterprise crew to solve the riddle of Galen's final quest.

"The Chase" is really two stories for the price of one.  The first half, before Galen's death, falls into the "what might have been" pattern so typical of the Picard arc of late.  The second half is a more Roddenberry-esque morality play.  Representatives of the Cardassians, Klingons and Romulans all compete with our friends to unlock Galen's mystery, each certain it will be of great benefit to whichever superpower finds it first.  Wouldn't you know, instead, they all learn a valuable lesson about their common origin.  Kumbaya.  We are all truly one.

The episode has its moments.  I always enjoy the way archaeology brings out the romantic in Picard.  There's also a wonderful exchange between our captain and the Romulan Captain in the denouement, hauntingly reminiscent of the end of the original series masterpiece, "Balance of Terror."  True to form, the NextGen version is more hopeful.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

Norman Lloyd (Galen) was born Norman Nathan Pulmutter, November 8, 1914 in Jersey City, New Jersey.  He was performing professionally on vaudeville from the age of 9.  He graduated from high school at 15 and went to NYU, though he left after two years.  

Lloyd had a long, distinguished career on the stage, working with the Civic Repertory Theatre, Federal Theatre Project's Living Newspaper, the Mercury Theatre and the Group Theatre.  In film, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock for years, appearing in Sabateur and Spellbound, then serving as producer for Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  In the '80s, he was a principal on St. Elsewhere.  For my generation, he is probably best known as Mr. Nolan, the headmaster in Dead Poets Society.

Lloyd was married to his wife, Peggy Craven, for 75 years.  Yes, you read that correctly.  75 years!  They had two children.  He played tennis regularly until age 99.  He died in his sleep in 2021 at the ripe old age of 106.

On the Coffee Table: Cycles

Title: Y: The Last Man, Volume 2: Cycles

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan

Penciller: Pia Guerra

Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.

via Amazon

Y: The Last Man continues with Cycles, collecting issues #6-10 of the comic book series.  The basic premise: Yorick and his monkey are the last two male mammals on Earth, or so it appears.  At the moment, they're trying to make their way to California along with geneticist Dr. Mann, who is hoping to understand how Yorick survived, and federal agent 355, who is trying to keep them all alive.  Story lines converge in Marrisville, Ohio where a community of women is untroubled by the lack of men, a significant contrast with practically everyone else in the story.  The women of Marrisville also have a secret.

I've been reading other dystopian comics recently - Transmetropolitan and Trees - and Y: The Last Man works better for me.  For starters, the narrative is much simpler in structure.  Yes, there are multiple strands but they converge regularly and their relationship with one another is easily understood.  Also, there's a surprising lightness to Y, not easily accomplished with such a dark tale.  Yorick is likeable and goofy enough to provide comic relief.

There's a lot to unpack with the sexual politics.  Would human society truly fall apart if men suddenly vanished?  The implication is not that men are more capable.  Rather, it's that our entire civilization is built around the patriarchy and losing men would leave a dangerous power void - governments would be thrown into confusion, for instance.  Nearly all airplanes would fall out of the sky because the vast majority of pilots are male.  I think it's fair to say that men would find out in a hurry how dependent they are on women if the reverse were to happen.

But I suppose that's a different dystopian narrative.