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Today's episode: "Demon" or "How many plot holes can we fit into one episode?"
Brief Synopsis: Lookin' for Deuterium in all the wrong places.
REVIEW/SYNOPSIS:
We begin today's episode with Voyager's power suddenly cutting out, making lots of "Beyooooo" noises to indicate that things are losing power. We get a very obvious "pregnant" shot of Torres looking over the power-less warp core. Have they just stopped trying to hide her pregnancy? Cause they've been doing a really poor job. There are several episodes where we get a full shot of her, even if for only a second or two, and it's clear that something just isn't right.
Anyway, the problem seems to be that Voyager has run of the "Deuterium", despite it's being a pretty easy to find isotope (http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/48196.html) So we must either assume that in the future, Deuterium changes it's name to an unpronouncable symbol, and this new fuel substance adopts the monicker for itself.
Either that, or Voyager doesn't know how to find water, which would leave them much like the Kazon.
I'm getting off topic.
For the sake of the episode, we'll pretend that deuterium is a mysterious substance which is quite hard to find. I guess they can't use the old "dilithium" scenario because of [i]Relics[/i] which showed that dilithium is now regenerated within the warp core, and thus is far less valuable (which doesn't stop Janeway from trading for it in "Living Witness" but that's just a minor nit)
I've gotten off topic again. And I'm gonna do it one more time.
Tom explains that with their current supply of Deuterium, they'll be out of gas within a week. How exactly did that happen? No one was paying attention to the fuel levels until they had to initiate "Grey" mode? Too bad they can't use any of that "Holodeck energy" to help fuel the ship. But then, we all know that holodeck energy just isn't compatible with regular energy. :rolleyes:
Now, I'm going to try to cut off some people before they begin saying what I think they'll be saying. And that is, "But Spornan, isn't getting low on supplies something that you and your basher buddies WANT to have happen on Voyager?"
In a way, yes. But in this case, it's simply a plot device to bring them to the cool Hell-planet, and not a realistic portrayal of how things would go down. The fact that the supply was allowed to drop to the point where they only had a weeks supply of fuel left is downright ludicrous. The reason I want low supplies is because I want realism.
So back the action at hand, and we've already noted two blatant plot devices: Deuterium and the fact that they allowed themselves to get low on it.
Janeway orders that the ship will remain in Grey Mode until they can find a new source of Deuterium, and she and Harry will go to work at trying to synthesize it. Here's a tip: "Computer, glass of water" Problem solved.
Tuvok goes around to tell them already looting-and-rioting crew that they will have to gather all essential belongings because from now on, space will be limited.
Did I miss something? Don't starships have multiple redundancy systems when it comes to power sources? What about good ol' fusion? Or that big old matter/anti-matter reactor they have sitting in Engineering? You're telling me that they don't have enough power to keep everyone's quarters filled with oxygen, but anti-gravity is essential?
In a scene that makes ABSOLUTELY no sense, Tuvok confiscates Neelix's favorite book, telling him that he won't be able to read it again until power is restored. Pardon? Seems to me that there's enough mood-lighting around to be able to read, and it's not like a book takes up energy.
He also takes his pillows, to which Neelix replies that he gets terrible Neck-pain without them. Tuvok tells him to get the Doctor to prescribe him an Anti-inflammatory. Talk about illogical: It takes less power to replicate or use up medications on a cramped neck than it does to keep a pillow? Does anyone else smell what Tuvok is shoveling?
The entire exchange leads Neelix to come up with the idea of going to sleep in Sickbay, thus initiating the "B" story. It's yet another of a growing list of silly-plot devices in this episode. And we're not even 2 minutes in yet.
This is not looking so good.
In Astrometrechs (did I spell that right?) Seven is busy disobeying orders to shut down her systems in order to search for a source of deuterium. Just as Chakotay comes in to yell at her (can't you just feel the sexual tension?) she spots a planet with a source of deuterium. Unfortunately, the planet is a "Demon" class planet, completely hazardous to life, and somehow a standard orbit would be dangerous.
Desperate times come for deperate measures, as well as poorly thought out story ideas.
Seven is put in charge of beaming the deuterium up from the planet (because to put an actual commissioned officer in charge would be silly. Let's put the civillian ex-borg in charge.)
SURPRISE! Disaster strikes, as a "thermionic" discharge results in what ALWAYS happens when something goes wrong: The ship shakes, and a console explodes on a hapless extra. The inventor of the surge-protector spins in his grave.
[Technobabble danger] happens for a little while, and the transporter room explodes when the stuff that got beamed along with the deuterium explodes. Luckily, even clad in six-inch stiletto heels, Seven is able to carry the wounded extra and herself out of there before things are too late.
Somehow, ALL The transporters are offline because of the accident (Plot device number...5? 6? Bleh) and it will take days to repair them. They can't send a probe down either, because it would incinerate in the atmosphere. Janeway can think of no other course of action except to leave and go back on their original course...at one quarter impulse.
How the hell would one quarter impulse help matters? Especially if you only have a week's worth of deuterium left? You couldn't even leave the solar system at a quarter impulse. Impulse is sub-light speed, often stated as being a 1/4c, or one fourth of the speed of light. You're not gonna be getting anywhere at that speed.
Before anyone figures that out though, Harry offers that with a few modifications to an environmental suit, and a shield modification to a shuttle, they could go down to the planet and mine the deuterium directly. Everyone figures the risks are worth it, so Harry and Tom head off to the Cargo bay to set things up.
Despite the fact that they are running in "Gray" mode, the turbolifts are fully functional, including artificial gravity (which when you think about it, doesn't make a lot of sense with a turbolift shaft.) While en route on the Turbolifts, Harry gives a rousing speech about how he "used" to be a green, fresh-faced ensign. Obviously he hasn't been watching the show, cause I saw Endgame, and even when he was a Captain, he was a "Green, fresh-faced ensign."
Sorry guys, but don't try to pass off character-development-that-doesn't-exist through an out-of-place speech in an episode full of plot holes. It just doesn't work.
The best exchange is this though:
Tom (Casual as can be): Yeah, it's been a wild ride.
Not soon after, Tom and Harry are off in a shuttle, and land on the Demon planet, which actually kinda looks like Utah, with just a little more heat and smoke.
Well, it only takes about thirty seconds for Harry to get sucked up into a pile of liquified deuterium, and Tom has to work at yanking him out. Once free, Harry's suit warns him that there is a compromised seal, and that his oxygen will be gone in thirty seconds. Tom tries to drag him back to the shuttle, but a seal on his suit is compromised too. They both pass out REALLY quickly.
BUM BUM BUM.
Meanwhile, back on Voyager, our B story (stands for Boring) is underway. Neelix tries to convince the doctor to allow himself and three non-speaking extras to sleep in Sickbay. It's quite funny to watch the trio, their mouths firmly closed, not uttering a sound. They just remain in the background, nodding or shaking their heads when called for, trying to "Act" as well as possible without actually saying anything. I really feel bad for them. Would it be so horrible to pay them a few extra bucks to allow them to say "please" or something like that? It's kind of distracting to see people try SO HARD not to speak.
On the Bridge, Janeway frets because Tom and Harry aren't back yet. Chakotay offers to take another shuttle down to look for them, but Janeway dismisses it because it's too dangerous.
Speaking of dangerous, Janeway's idea is to take THE ENTIRE FRELLING SHIP down to the planet. That sure makes a lot of sense. Sending down a shuttle with Chakotay is too risky, but sending down a ship with barely enough power to keep the shields up isn't.
Not a single person seems to think they shouldn't do it. This episode is so full of plot holes, even Harry fell into one!
So down they go, landing the entire ship onto the Demon Planet.
In a truely BORING sequence, the ship heads down, with the typical shaking and shouting of technobabble (increase power to the detranamic field!) topping everything off with probably the most lifeless "Brace for impact" I've ever seen, by none other than Bobby Beltran. I have the feeling that Mr. Beltran was quite sure of the asinine nature of the episode he was acting in, and didn't feel it was necessary to devote any real effort into it. If he did feel that way, he was absolutely right. His poor acting is the least of it's troubles.
Well the ship makes it, though by Tuvok's own words, they "won't be going up again soon"
Chakotay heads out to find Tom and Harry, but before he does, B'elanna pleads with him to take Seven with him. Because she has a "cool head" and not because this episode is quickly plumetting into the depths of crap-dom, and needs a fairly interesting character like Seven (not to mention her two friends, Double and Dee.)
Back in the B story, Neelix is trying to sleep while the Doctor annoys him by singing and going about his work. Nothing else really happens, except Neelix threatens to start a sing-along with the three non-speaking extras (in another PAINFULLY obvious scene where they keep their lips tightly shut) and the Doctor relents. I'm not sure which story is worse, the one full of plot-holes, or the boring one full of plot-holes.
On the Demon planet, Chakotay and Seven (the latter in a slightly tighter-fitting environmental suit) search in front of a painted background for Tom and Harry. Seven remarks that it's unlikely that their environmental suits would have protected them for this long. She obviously doesn't know much about the implausability surrounding "Voyager" writing.
While Seven's tricorder doesn't pick up any life signs, Chakotay is able to track Harry and Tom because of footprints he's found, making a joke that Seven "obviously never assimilated any indian scouts"
Cause all american indians are expert trackers. Just like all asians are master martial artists, and all english people are evil.
Before long, they find another pool of deuterium goo. Seven kneels down to methodically collect a sample when Chakotay omniously touches her shoulder, saying that they should find Tom and Harry before they collect a sample. Realistically, what should it matter? She was almost finished getting it anyway. It was just another plot device to keep the mystery of the goo around a little longer.
Chakotay ends up walking right over a cliff, only to be saved by an-out-of-environmental-suit Tom.
BUM BUM BUM.
Tom explains that he woke up breathing the air normally, and both he and Harry seem to have adapted to the atmosphere of the planet. He encourages for Chuckles and Seven to take off their helmets, but both refuse. They go off to collect harry and the large store of deuterium the two found, and then head back to Voyager.
We get a quick cut to a useless scene of Torres and Vorik exchanging information, which pretty much serves to increase the "tension" of the episode by pointing out that life support will stop functioning within two hours.
Then back to the Demon planet where they find Harry, and a decent supply of deuterium. Harry wants to stay and mine the deuterium, but Chakotay wants to get them back to the ship, along with enough deuterium to get main systems back on line. Does deuterium need to be refined or anything? Can you just toss the stuff into a tank and let 'er rip? I guess it doesn't really matter, it's not like that's the biggest plot hole of the night.
Back in Sickbay, the Doctor wakes up Neelix and his mime friends, and has them vacate sickbay. Again, we get another surreal scene of Neelix barking "MOVE, MOVE!" to speechless crewmembers (all of whom outrank him)
Regardless of the fact that they are down to the most minimal of power, the away team is beamed back on board instead of boarding the ship through a hatch or something like that. Incidentally, Janeway is the one who comes in to beam them back. Did they INVENT the term "micromanage" for this woman?
Tom and Harry immediattely begin gasping and croaking for air. Janeway orders them beamed directly to sickbay, and LEAVES. What, she's all gung-ho when it's time to beam someone on board, but then leaves to let another non-speaking extra (who nods instead of saying "yes ma'am") to do the tough job? Why did the writer's even put her in that scene?
The Doctor erects a force-field (with what power? The deuterium hasn't been implemented yet) around Harry and Tom, and fills the air around them with the gasses from the atmosphere of the planet. They quickly begin breathing normally again. The Doctor finds the strange goo from the planet in their blood, and theorizes that they have been bio-formed to adapt to the planet's surface. Unless they can be treated, they would have to remain behind, since the planet's atmosphere can't be replicated safely.
BUM BUM BUM.
The new "Forceful" Harry volunteers to go help an away-team find out more about the planet, while Tom stays behind have tests run on him. On the planet, Harry realizes how beautiful he finds the place, claiming to see all sorts of wonderful colors and hues, and feeling connected to the planet somehow. Seven cuts off Chakotay's bark of "Connected? HOW!?" with the realization that there are humanoid life-signs nearby. They go off to investigate.
Back in what looks like sickbay, Janeway-the-scientist and Torres investigate the goo taken out of Tom's blood. They realize it is organic right before a small drop comes into contact with B'elanna's thumb. It coats it for a moment, before sliding off and forming a perfect replica of her thumb. What an "interesting" development.
On the Demon planet, Harry and the away-team finds...Harry and Tom! Gasp! How could this be?
A large pool of the goo forms underneath Voyager (which conveniently happens to be on the planet's surface. Realizing those plot devices a little more clearly now?) and Fake-Harry begins freaking out at the thought of being taken from the planet. Everyone but he is beamed back up to Voyager, which then tries to take off. The ship continues to sink into the pool of goo. Janeway orders a [technobabble] to be fired into the pool, which may somehow weaken it. How she figures that out, no one is quite clear on. But hey, she's Janeway, she's super-smart.
In Sickbay, the real Tom and Harry are lucky enough that their environmental suits "backup systems" were able to keep them alive. All over America, a coughing epidemic breaks out, sounding a little like this, "cough-BULLSHIT-cough"
The Fake-Tom seems to have all the memories of the Real-Tom, and Janeway explains that the goo has "mimetic" properties, causing it to completely copy whatever it touches.
Janeway questions Fake-Tom, but he doesn't know anything (what else is new? :p) except that he wants to go back to the planet. Tuvok tells the Captain that they are about to try the [technobabble] burst she ordered, and when they do, Fake-Tom grimaces in pain.
Fake-Harry hails the ship, and tries to convince Janeway to stop using the [technobabble] on them. Janeway has him beamed on board, and he explains that he and the planet are connected somehow. He tells her that "they" can't release the ship, and so she has Tuvok fire the [technobabble] a few more times. Fake-Harry pleads for her to stop, and to explain what's going on somehow.
He says that the "Silver Blood" is alive, but never sentient until Harry and Tom touched them, and showed them what it meant to be aware. Janeway arbitrates an agreement between Fake-Harry and Voyager, to allow the "Silver Blood" to duplicate the entire crew.
They do, and entire fake-crew is left behind on the planet as Voyager lifts off.
IN RETROSPECT:
This is a "Voyager" episode in the strictest sense of the word. It embodies just about everything I consider to be wrong with Voyager. The entire episode was entirely plot based, with so many holes that it's impossible to take seriously.
The entire episode seemed haphazardly thrown together, in order to get us to the "revelation" scene. The final two minutes where it's realized what the Silver Blood is. It sounds to me like some writer got an idea for a new alien life-form, but didn't know how to craft a story around it, so this is what we got: 58 minutes of crap for two minutes of "cool"
And the fact is, most of it could have been avoided if any of the crew had any common sense, or if the writers did. The plotholes/devices included:
1. Deuterium being hard to find.
2. No one noticing that fuel was low until they were down to a week's worth.
3. Not being allowed to take a book or a pillow with you because they are conserving energy.
4. LANDING ON THE PLANET.
5. Sending Tom and Harry down when they could have sent the doctor.
6. Tom and Harry surviving.
Let's go through these.
1. I adressed this one at the beginning. The deuterium, even if you forget that it is a real substance, is nothing more than an arbitrary device to get them to the planet. They might as well have called it "Magic Dust" for all the practical purpose it had.
2. How, on a ship that's only goal is to get home as fast as possible, do you not notice that fuel is dangerously low? Wouldn't you always be looking for new fuel supplies? Again, this not part-2 of the first plot device. It's just to get them to the planet.
3. The pillow/book thing was completely moronic. If it wasn't Tuvok, I'd say he was making fun of Neelix, but the guy is a Vulcan, and he had better things to do then to tease Neelix during a crisis. It was a plot device to get Neelix to come up with the idea for the time-killing B story.
4. This is the stupidest one of the entire episode. Janeway refuses to risk Chakotay by sending him down in a shuttle, but it's perfectly ok to send down the ENTIRE SHIP? As tuvok warned her, they barely had enough shield power to stay intact. Realistically, it was an incredibly stupid decision: One of Janeway's worst. Someone should have gone against orders. But they didn't, because it was another plot device: To get Voyager down on the planet so the "super-cool" AOTW could copy all of Voyager in a reasonably realistic way.
5. If the planet was so inhospitable to humanoid life, why not send the Doctor down? He was perfectly ok with dealing with the affects of the atmosphere when Fake-Tom and Fake-Harry were in Sickbay. Notice that the Doctor doesn't wear his mobile emitter throughout the entire episode, because this might remind the viewers at home that HE could go down and get the deuterium, without putting peoples lives at risk.
6. Tom and Harry surviving on the demon planet. The one where an probe would incinerate within seconds of entering the atmosphere. Their "backup" systems saved them. Are you telling me there was no other way of thinking up a reason for Tom and Harry to be out of the way when Fake-Tom and Fake-Harry showed up?
The main story of this episode merely served as a set-up to the climactic realization of the aliens at the end. It's like we skipped dinner so we could have one bite of dessert.
Then you toss in the absolutely useless B story of Neelix and his mimes. Could I really be the only person who noticed these poor people, struggling to act while not speaking? The next time you see this episode, watch these scenes, and think about how odd it is that these three people are being talked to and talked FOR, without saying a damn thing. Guess they spent their entire budget on the "cool" landing scene.
TO SUM UP:
The atypical Voyager episode. Bland, empty, plot-driven and full of holes. If you ever needed an episode to point out that had just about every bad aspect of Voyager in it, this would be that episode.
Score: .1/10
It's gets a point for the fairly innovative alien species it creates. But that's it.
BLECH.
Tomorrow: One