Franchise * Series * Essential * Character
The nature of the Doctor as an artificial life-form was a dominant feature of not only the character but the series, something some fans liked to compare with Data from Next Generation. Yet I would argue that Voyager did more to seriously explore this than its predecessor, making it one of the elements I like to point to when trying to make the argument that the series deserves more respect than it generally gets.
In this episode, the Doctor runs into a Delta Quadrant hologram who metaphorically suggests that he could stand to get a little more respect from his own crew, because in the worst case scenario he could easily become taken for granted (and become homicidal!).
"Revulsion" is certainly episodic, not planting any obvious seeds for future stories, but it's a good reminder of what you can expect from even the most average Doctor entry. In short, he's another key member of the Voyager ensemble, easily the one the show's creators tended to support most consistently.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Voyager 4x4 "Nemesis"
Franchise * Series * Essential * Character
Chakotay eventually became such an underrated character that his role was completely downplayed by fans, creators, and perhaps even actor Robert Beltram.
Yet like B'Elanna Torres he was always a go-to character for spotlight episodes, which is more evident in the early season. "Nemesis" is one of those transition episodes, where his dominant appearances become a little more random, relying more on the idea of the character than anything he might be able to say in the story itself, much less the fate of the crew's journey.
I would almost rate this as a franchise episode rather than a character episode, because it's a fairly generic experience, yet believing in the character of Chakotay, I will choose the distinction of character as a reason to watch this one, even though it does nothing more than use him as the lead.
Chakotay eventually became such an underrated character that his role was completely downplayed by fans, creators, and perhaps even actor Robert Beltram.
Yet like B'Elanna Torres he was always a go-to character for spotlight episodes, which is more evident in the early season. "Nemesis" is one of those transition episodes, where his dominant appearances become a little more random, relying more on the idea of the character than anything he might be able to say in the story itself, much less the fate of the crew's journey.
I would almost rate this as a franchise episode rather than a character episode, because it's a fairly generic experience, yet believing in the character of Chakotay, I will choose the distinction of character as a reason to watch this one, even though it does nothing more than use him as the lead.
Voyager 4x3 "Day of Honor"
Franchise * Series * Essential * Character
Any episode of Voyager that spotlights B'Elanna Torres is sure to be a standout in some regard, usually (thanks to the always exceptional Roxanne Dawson) for the character herself, because she is more often than not tied up in her own personal journey.
This one has her experiencing a really bad day, which for B'Elanna is virtually a daily occurrence, certainly in the early seasons, yet it's a transitional moment, thanks to the fact that she finally finds herself willing to consider Tom Paris as a serious romantic interest, a development that dominates her role for the remainder of the series.
If you want to like the series, then watching any episode featuring B'Elanna will help you with that. She was consistently one of the most compelling characters on the show.
Any episode of Voyager that spotlights B'Elanna Torres is sure to be a standout in some regard, usually (thanks to the always exceptional Roxanne Dawson) for the character herself, because she is more often than not tied up in her own personal journey.
This one has her experiencing a really bad day, which for B'Elanna is virtually a daily occurrence, certainly in the early seasons, yet it's a transitional moment, thanks to the fact that she finally finds herself willing to consider Tom Paris as a serious romantic interest, a development that dominates her role for the remainder of the series.
If you want to like the series, then watching any episode featuring B'Elanna will help you with that. She was consistently one of the most compelling characters on the show.
Voyager 4x2 "The Gift"
Franchise * Series * Essential * Character
The addition of Seven of Nine to Voyager also meant the subtraction of Kes, the plucky Ocampan first met in "Caretaker," one of the Delta Quadrant natives welcomed into the crew (saying it like that suddenly makes me wonder what the series would have been like if there had been more than just her and Neelix at the beginning).
Kes had been the innocent character, the one who was literally the youngest and least experienced, even though in many ways she was an extraordinary member of her species (as is typical in Star Trek), looking to push the boundaries of her potential. Early on, that meant seeing what would happen when she interacted with the only other member of the crew who had even less experience, the holographic Doctor (a sum of programming and therefor to be considered "older").
Eventually, however, Kes was paired with Tuvok, who could function as more of a mentor than the Doctor (or Neelix or Tom Paris, other characters she tended to share screen time with). Like Seven during this episode with Captain Janeway, Kes finds herself pushing at her personal boundaries to a considerable degree, making the decision to leave the ship, and in the process pushing it that much closer to home.
It's an important episode on both a character and series level.
The addition of Seven of Nine to Voyager also meant the subtraction of Kes, the plucky Ocampan first met in "Caretaker," one of the Delta Quadrant natives welcomed into the crew (saying it like that suddenly makes me wonder what the series would have been like if there had been more than just her and Neelix at the beginning).
Kes had been the innocent character, the one who was literally the youngest and least experienced, even though in many ways she was an extraordinary member of her species (as is typical in Star Trek), looking to push the boundaries of her potential. Early on, that meant seeing what would happen when she interacted with the only other member of the crew who had even less experience, the holographic Doctor (a sum of programming and therefor to be considered "older").
Eventually, however, Kes was paired with Tuvok, who could function as more of a mentor than the Doctor (or Neelix or Tom Paris, other characters she tended to share screen time with). Like Seven during this episode with Captain Janeway, Kes finds herself pushing at her personal boundaries to a considerable degree, making the decision to leave the ship, and in the process pushing it that much closer to home.
It's an important episode on both a character and series level.
Voyager 4x1 "Scorpion, Part 2"
Franchise * Series * Character * Essential
The fourth season premiere of Voyager was a game-changer for the series, carrying a number of responsibilities: opening the season, concluding the "Scorpion" story, introducing Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, and boosting ratings.
The success rate of these ambitions was certainly high, considering Seven was an immediate breakout favorite among fans, and Jeri Ryan herself became a mainstream star, whose career is one of the few to survive into regular work outside of her Star Trek experiences.
This is an episode any franchise fan can enjoy even if they're not particularly a fan of the series, though series fans will certainly enjoy it as well, without question. The inclusion and effective use of the Borg is a rare moment where the Next Generation made a notable impact outside of "Best of Both Worlds" and First Contact, something that was surprisingly rare for the fan favorite villains. It is an essential episode for the series, and can be viewed as a spotlight for several characters, including Seven, Janeway, and Chakotay.
Having all four distinguishing features of a Star Trek episode, this one is a franchise standout.
The fourth season premiere of Voyager was a game-changer for the series, carrying a number of responsibilities: opening the season, concluding the "Scorpion" story, introducing Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, and boosting ratings.
The success rate of these ambitions was certainly high, considering Seven was an immediate breakout favorite among fans, and Jeri Ryan herself became a mainstream star, whose career is one of the few to survive into regular work outside of her Star Trek experiences.
This is an episode any franchise fan can enjoy even if they're not particularly a fan of the series, though series fans will certainly enjoy it as well, without question. The inclusion and effective use of the Borg is a rare moment where the Next Generation made a notable impact outside of "Best of Both Worlds" and First Contact, something that was surprisingly rare for the fan favorite villains. It is an essential episode for the series, and can be viewed as a spotlight for several characters, including Seven, Janeway, and Chakotay.
Having all four distinguishing features of a Star Trek episode, this one is a franchise standout.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Comparative (f)Analysis #4 "Star Trek"
Returning to the subject of Star Trek, let’s have a look at each of the series and each of the films at the same time, so you can see what I think of them in comparison to each other and why:
TV Shows
1. Deep Space Nine
Too cerebral for some, too dull for others, this is still one of my most fascinating TV experiences, and has helped shape my expectations ever since. When I look at “Boomtown” or “Lost,” I see shows that understood that characters and stories were mutually beneficial assets in exactly the way Star Trek was in its incarnation as “Deep Space Nine.” For seven seasons, because the franchise was popular enough to shoulder a series that didn’t turn out to be as successful as it first seemed, the show’s creators were allowed to break all the rules while reinforcing everything that has always been at the heart of Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future, helping to pioneer the serial format its close rival “Babylon 5” practically invented and paving the way for entertainment that would take the idea of ambition on television to the next level.
2. Enterprise
Franchise fatigue drove away anyone who would’ve given this one more of a chance than jaded fans who hated to see anything come even remotely close to contradicting what they already loved, and so “Enterprise” was the first Star Trek to be cancelled since the original series. Early seasons proved that “Deep Space Nine” had not existed in a vacuum, that strong attention to character in the context of dynamic storytelling hadn’t been lost on everyone, but by the final two years the show hit a creative crescendo, often based on its existing best assets.
3. Voyager
Context was everything with this one, which followed a group of characters who would’ve fit right in with the “Deep Space Nine” clan, but whose story never could have followed the same cumulative effect without obliterating the Star Trek message of hope against all obstacles. So what happens is that you get a series like “Voyager,” striving to be familiar and new at the same time. It worked a little better with “Enterprise.”
4. Next Generation
There would be no Star Trek today if it weren’t for “Next Generation.” There’s no getting around this fact. It’s a Star Trek classic by any standard, yet for me, doesn’t in the end, and through no fault of its own, compare to the complexities of its later brethren. But if you’ve got to start somewhere, this is definitely the way to go.
5. Original Series
Like “Next Generation,” there’d be no Star Trek without it, and its place in history is assured, even if future generations will never be able to watch it in quite the same way original audiences did.
6. Animated Series
The only cartoon in franchise history is worth watching but it is what it is, and that’s Star Trek boiled down to its bare essentials.
Films
1. First Contact
The best of the movies is not necessarily the most cinematic, but it’s the one where all the elements blend together, and there are so many elements to appreciate, and that’s the key as far as I’m concerned to being considered the best.
2. Star Trek
The first movie to be made with all the tenets of moviemaking squarely in place has got to at least be considered as one of the best simply on that merit, since everything was built from the ground up for the effort, rather than being adapted. The thing is, everything works exactly as planned.
3. The Motion Picture
When you take a TV product the fans dearly love and try to make a movie out of the existing elements, if you change anything at all, you’re bound to upset some of those fans. This is probably as close to what Gene Roddenberry himself originally intended for his creation that he himself ever got, and to me, there’s real magic to seeing it unfold.
4. Nemesis
This is the “Next Generation” film that was as much of a movie experience as it could get, trying to make a statement about the characters fans had loved for fifteen years. This was exactly what the TV show would have looked like if it had adapted a typical two-part episode onto the big screen. To some fans, that’s what it felt like, in a bad way.
5. The Undiscovered Country
The last official appearance of the original group of Star Trek actors proved that all of them, and the filmmakers had finally figured out the way to make a movie.
6. Generations
Star Trek as a Western did not seem to click with fans the way it should have, especially considering that it was a historic meeting of, well, generations.
7. The Voyage Home
The general public got a kick out of this atypical adventure that seemed to import our familiar characters into someone else’s film, which still managed to be more of a “message” story in the original Star Trek mold than any other movie effort.
8. The Search for Spock
If the films had ended on this note, I bet everyone would have a lot higher opinion of it, including me.
9. The Wrath of Khan
This is the one most often boasted as the best of them, yet for me, it remains a very good way of redeeming the franchise at that particular time in history. They really did get better.
10. Insurrection
This is like a “Next Generation” episode expanded, and that’s perfectly fine. But it could have been better.
11. The Final Frontier
There are more obvious problems with this one than any other Star Trek film. The funny thing is, with just a few of those rough patches smoothed over, I would easily call it one of the best ones.
TV Shows
1. Deep Space Nine
Too cerebral for some, too dull for others, this is still one of my most fascinating TV experiences, and has helped shape my expectations ever since. When I look at “Boomtown” or “Lost,” I see shows that understood that characters and stories were mutually beneficial assets in exactly the way Star Trek was in its incarnation as “Deep Space Nine.” For seven seasons, because the franchise was popular enough to shoulder a series that didn’t turn out to be as successful as it first seemed, the show’s creators were allowed to break all the rules while reinforcing everything that has always been at the heart of Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future, helping to pioneer the serial format its close rival “Babylon 5” practically invented and paving the way for entertainment that would take the idea of ambition on television to the next level.
2. Enterprise
Franchise fatigue drove away anyone who would’ve given this one more of a chance than jaded fans who hated to see anything come even remotely close to contradicting what they already loved, and so “Enterprise” was the first Star Trek to be cancelled since the original series. Early seasons proved that “Deep Space Nine” had not existed in a vacuum, that strong attention to character in the context of dynamic storytelling hadn’t been lost on everyone, but by the final two years the show hit a creative crescendo, often based on its existing best assets.
3. Voyager
Context was everything with this one, which followed a group of characters who would’ve fit right in with the “Deep Space Nine” clan, but whose story never could have followed the same cumulative effect without obliterating the Star Trek message of hope against all obstacles. So what happens is that you get a series like “Voyager,” striving to be familiar and new at the same time. It worked a little better with “Enterprise.”
4. Next Generation
There would be no Star Trek today if it weren’t for “Next Generation.” There’s no getting around this fact. It’s a Star Trek classic by any standard, yet for me, doesn’t in the end, and through no fault of its own, compare to the complexities of its later brethren. But if you’ve got to start somewhere, this is definitely the way to go.
5. Original Series
Like “Next Generation,” there’d be no Star Trek without it, and its place in history is assured, even if future generations will never be able to watch it in quite the same way original audiences did.
6. Animated Series
The only cartoon in franchise history is worth watching but it is what it is, and that’s Star Trek boiled down to its bare essentials.
Films
1. First Contact
The best of the movies is not necessarily the most cinematic, but it’s the one where all the elements blend together, and there are so many elements to appreciate, and that’s the key as far as I’m concerned to being considered the best.
2. Star Trek
The first movie to be made with all the tenets of moviemaking squarely in place has got to at least be considered as one of the best simply on that merit, since everything was built from the ground up for the effort, rather than being adapted. The thing is, everything works exactly as planned.
3. The Motion Picture
When you take a TV product the fans dearly love and try to make a movie out of the existing elements, if you change anything at all, you’re bound to upset some of those fans. This is probably as close to what Gene Roddenberry himself originally intended for his creation that he himself ever got, and to me, there’s real magic to seeing it unfold.
4. Nemesis
This is the “Next Generation” film that was as much of a movie experience as it could get, trying to make a statement about the characters fans had loved for fifteen years. This was exactly what the TV show would have looked like if it had adapted a typical two-part episode onto the big screen. To some fans, that’s what it felt like, in a bad way.
5. The Undiscovered Country
The last official appearance of the original group of Star Trek actors proved that all of them, and the filmmakers had finally figured out the way to make a movie.
6. Generations
Star Trek as a Western did not seem to click with fans the way it should have, especially considering that it was a historic meeting of, well, generations.
7. The Voyage Home
The general public got a kick out of this atypical adventure that seemed to import our familiar characters into someone else’s film, which still managed to be more of a “message” story in the original Star Trek mold than any other movie effort.
8. The Search for Spock
If the films had ended on this note, I bet everyone would have a lot higher opinion of it, including me.
9. The Wrath of Khan
This is the one most often boasted as the best of them, yet for me, it remains a very good way of redeeming the franchise at that particular time in history. They really did get better.
10. Insurrection
This is like a “Next Generation” episode expanded, and that’s perfectly fine. But it could have been better.
11. The Final Frontier
There are more obvious problems with this one than any other Star Trek film. The funny thing is, with just a few of those rough patches smoothed over, I would easily call it one of the best ones.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Comparative (f)Analysis #3 "Newspaper Comics"
Or, Building a Better Comics Page
It's no secret that American newspapers are an endangered species. Perhaps part of the reasons is the comics section, which may no longer appeal to young readers. In an effort to update this section, I present a collection of nine strips created in (more or less) the past twenty years (rather than many of the legacy strips that arguably appeal more directly to older readers) capable of challenging the impression that comic strips can't compete with cartoons and other interactive media.
Pearls Before Swine
by Stephan Pastis
Launched in 2001, this is my current favorite, featuring Rat, Pig, Zebra, Goat, and Larry the Crocodile, among other characters, each presenting a different worldview (some more traditionally comic strip-focused than others) and none of them ever at a loss for words.
Bewley
by Anthony Blades
Launched in 2001, this is a discovery I made at Go Comics that I'm pretty sure I'd never seen before. Would be a prime recipient of the increased exposure of a revamped comics section.
Big Nate
by Lincoln Peirce
Launched in 1991, this is one of the older strips in these suggestions, but has the added benefit of being fresh in the minds of young readers, thanks to the recent publishing efforts meant to capitalize on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. This one's always been better.
Nest Heads
by John Allen
Launched in 2003, this is a recent version of the traditional family comic strip.
Over the Hedge
by Michael Fry & T Lewis
Launched in 1995, this current strip was actually the basis for the 2006 film, which makes it odd that the strip didn't experience greater visibility following its release. No doubt most viewers assumed that the movie was just another random CGI cartoon created to cash in on the phenomenal Pixar success story. No, it's actually a comic strip!
Thatababy
by Paul Trap
Launched in 2010 (as far as I can tell!) and therefore the newest strip in this bunch, this one features a baby. Imagine that!
FoxTrot
by Bill Amend
Launched in 1988, this one's the oldest in the bunch, and it's already beloved, but for some reason its cultural impact has been minimal. Amend only does Sunday strips now, but still well worth including.
Dilbert
by Scott Adams
Launched in 1989, slightly younger than the previous entry, and better known, practically a cultural institution, but still hasn't succeeded in letting corporate culture known just how stupid it really is.
Red and Rover
by Brian Basset
Launched in 2000, this is my personal pick as the successor to Calvin & Hobbes (if you think Pearl Before Swine doesn't cover it because of Stephan Pastis's admitted lack of actual artistic talent), a comic strip that totally understands the nature of friendship, this time actually featuring a pet dog.
You could add Garfield, Zits, Mutt, Sally Forth, Sherman's Lagoon, Get Fuzzy, and maybe a few others to fill out the section, but these nine deserve a place where many of them have previously been ignored or overlooked, or otherwise haven't been recognized as the institutions they've become.
It's no secret that American newspapers are an endangered species. Perhaps part of the reasons is the comics section, which may no longer appeal to young readers. In an effort to update this section, I present a collection of nine strips created in (more or less) the past twenty years (rather than many of the legacy strips that arguably appeal more directly to older readers) capable of challenging the impression that comic strips can't compete with cartoons and other interactive media.
Pearls Before Swine
by Stephan Pastis
Launched in 2001, this is my current favorite, featuring Rat, Pig, Zebra, Goat, and Larry the Crocodile, among other characters, each presenting a different worldview (some more traditionally comic strip-focused than others) and none of them ever at a loss for words.
Bewley
by Anthony Blades
Launched in 2001, this is a discovery I made at Go Comics that I'm pretty sure I'd never seen before. Would be a prime recipient of the increased exposure of a revamped comics section.
Big Nate
by Lincoln Peirce
Launched in 1991, this is one of the older strips in these suggestions, but has the added benefit of being fresh in the minds of young readers, thanks to the recent publishing efforts meant to capitalize on the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. This one's always been better.
Nest Heads
by John Allen
Launched in 2003, this is a recent version of the traditional family comic strip.
Over the Hedge
by Michael Fry & T Lewis
Launched in 1995, this current strip was actually the basis for the 2006 film, which makes it odd that the strip didn't experience greater visibility following its release. No doubt most viewers assumed that the movie was just another random CGI cartoon created to cash in on the phenomenal Pixar success story. No, it's actually a comic strip!
Thatababy
by Paul Trap
Launched in 2010 (as far as I can tell!) and therefore the newest strip in this bunch, this one features a baby. Imagine that!
FoxTrot
by Bill Amend
Launched in 1988, this one's the oldest in the bunch, and it's already beloved, but for some reason its cultural impact has been minimal. Amend only does Sunday strips now, but still well worth including.
Dilbert
by Scott Adams
Launched in 1989, slightly younger than the previous entry, and better known, practically a cultural institution, but still hasn't succeeded in letting corporate culture known just how stupid it really is.
Red and Rover
by Brian Basset
Launched in 2000, this is my personal pick as the successor to Calvin & Hobbes (if you think Pearl Before Swine doesn't cover it because of Stephan Pastis's admitted lack of actual artistic talent), a comic strip that totally understands the nature of friendship, this time actually featuring a pet dog.
You could add Garfield, Zits, Mutt, Sally Forth, Sherman's Lagoon, Get Fuzzy, and maybe a few others to fill out the section, but these nine deserve a place where many of them have previously been ignored or overlooked, or otherwise haven't been recognized as the institutions they've become.
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