The Golden Age of Star Trek: we had the 6th Season of The Next Generation and the 1st Season of Deep Space Nice on our televisions, Generations on view in our cinemas and First Contact due out soon. This season of TNG contains some excellent stand-alone episodes and several spectacular two-parters, with only the occasional make-weight. Despite the length of time it had already been on the air, it still represents some of the highest standard of television Science Fiction ever broadcast.
It might just as well be the Klingon's mother's recipe for biscuits!
Yes, The Chase is pretty nonsensical and the denouement more than a little bit embarrassing but it's classic Star Trek through and through. Apparently, Jonathan Frakes who was directing complained that he could not afford to film the planet-side scenes outdoors. He had four different imaginary races visiting an imaginary world to fight over one of the most absurd Science Fiction ideas ever presented on screen. I don't think the cardboard rocks were really that much of a distraction, Mr Frakes. If we just watch it for the fun of a memorable, fast-paced adventure and give credit for the sheer chutzpah of the writers and the delicious performances of the guest actors, we will be better served than by complaining about what it doesn't have in it.
Screen veteran Norman Lloyd as Professor Galen clearly relishes going toe-to-toe with Patrick Stewart as the latter's former mentor, Professor Galen. Extremely well known for his long running part in St Elsewhere, this actor added some much needed gravitas. He died last year at the magnificent age of 106.
British audiences were delighted with former Avengers star Linda Thorson as the strong-willed Cardassian Gull Ocett: it was such a pity we couldn't have had her back on Star Trek to put Marc Alaimo in his place (DS9 fans will know exactly what I mean here). She was very well counterbalanced by Star Trek regular John Cothran as the blustering Kingon NuDaq and Scottish actor Maurice Roeves as the Romulan Commander.
Salome Jens showed herself to be a consummate professional, considering how much prosthetic she needed to wear in order to give her grandiose valedictory speech (the ramifications of which are, of course, never visited again). She returned for many appearances as the female shape-shifter in DS9 but, happily, voice work for Star Trek video games appears to have given her a nice little pension pot without the need for even more hours in the make-up chair.
Senior Trekker continues to score every episode with a 5.
It might just as well be the Klingon's mother's recipe for biscuits!
Yes, The Chase is pretty nonsensical and the denouement more than a little bit embarrassing but it's classic Star Trek through and through. Apparently, Jonathan Frakes who was directing complained that he could not afford to film the planet-side scenes outdoors. He had four different imaginary races visiting an imaginary world to fight over one of the most absurd Science Fiction ideas ever presented on screen. I don't think the cardboard rocks were really that much of a distraction, Mr Frakes. If we just watch it for the fun of a memorable, fast-paced adventure and give credit for the sheer chutzpah of the writers and the delicious performances of the guest actors, we will be better served than by complaining about what it doesn't have in it.
Screen veteran Norman Lloyd as Professor Galen clearly relishes going toe-to-toe with Patrick Stewart as the latter's former mentor, Professor Galen. Extremely well known for his long running part in St Elsewhere, this actor added some much needed gravitas. He died last year at the magnificent age of 106.
British audiences were delighted with former Avengers star Linda Thorson as the strong-willed Cardassian Gull Ocett: it was such a pity we couldn't have had her back on Star Trek to put Marc Alaimo in his place (DS9 fans will know exactly what I mean here). She was very well counterbalanced by Star Trek regular John Cothran as the blustering Kingon NuDaq and Scottish actor Maurice Roeves as the Romulan Commander.
Salome Jens showed herself to be a consummate professional, considering how much prosthetic she needed to wear in order to give her grandiose valedictory speech (the ramifications of which are, of course, never visited again). She returned for many appearances as the female shape-shifter in DS9 but, happily, voice work for Star Trek video games appears to have given her a nice little pension pot without the need for even more hours in the make-up chair.
Senior Trekker continues to score every episode with a 5.