Sunday, April 3, 2011

3-14. A Matter of Perspective

THE PLOT

The Enterprise is picking up Riker and Geordi from a scientific research station, where the two had been checking on Dr. Apgar (Mark Margolis)'s progress in generating Krieger waves. What Krieger waves are really isn't important. Suffice it to say that Riker is only too happy to beam back to the Enterprise. But even as Riker beams out, there's a sudden power drain on the station - which explodes, even before Riker materializes on the ship.

As Picard initiates an investigation of the explosion, prosecutor Krag (Craig Richard Nelson) arrives from the planet. Krag is charging Riker with the murder of Dr. Apgar, and demands Picard immediately surrender Riker to his custody. Picard insists on an extradition hearing, with witnesses programming the holodeck to show their versions of the events on the station. As each of these versions wildly differs from the others, it seems impossible to determine what the truth might be. But with motive and opportunity established - meeting Starfleet's requirements for extradition - it seems almost certain that Picard will have to rule against Riker!


CHARACTERS

Capt. Picard: Stands up to Krag in insisting that Riker's extradition hearing be held on the Enterprise, in order to protect his first officer from a legal system where the accused is "guilty until proved innocent." But once the situation is established, he shows no favoritism toward Riker. He refuses Riker's request for a private word, stating that under the circumstances it would be "inappropriate," and is firm in trying to judge objectively whether or not there is enough evidence against Riker to warrant extradition.

Riker: Will just can't seem to go anywhere without having the nearest being in a skirt make a pass at him. Riker need only materialize in the general vicinity of the bored and lonely Manua (Gina Hecht) in order to be pulled into a triangle involving her and her jealous scientist husband (Mark Margolis). Riker would have us believe that he acted like a perfect gentleman, while Manua insists he behaved like a rapacious pirate. Based on previous episodes, Riker was likely guilty of a little flirting, but nothing more inappropriate than that. Ironically, for an episode focused so heavily on Riker, the episode gives him little enough of interest to play - which may be one of the show's biggest problems.

Data: Is responsible for programming the holodeck to recreate the space station in every detail, and programs in the various depositions. Brent Spiner and the character get their best moment in the teaser, though, in a moment entirely unrelated to the "plot." As Picard encourages Data to evaluate the work of the various students in his art class, Data has praise for the work of every student... and then stops and tries to diplomatically declare Picard's piece "interesting." There's about a 2-second look of "Oh, crap" on Spiner's face just before Data allows himself to be pushed into an honest (damning) analysis that is just priceless.


SHUT UP, WESLEY

"Well, it WASN'T the commander's PHASER, it COULDN'T have been. There's ANOTHER answer!" Cringe. Wince. Ouch. Director Cliff Bole really needed to pull Wil Wheaton aside, tell him to stop "acting," and do a retake, because that line delivery is among Wheaton's worst in the entire series. Or maybe it was Cliff Bole's fault - it's not like Wheaton's been typically guilty of such poor, oddly emphasized line deliveries. Perhaps he told Wheaton to "bring some emotion." Whatever the case, it's a horrible moment, one which makes it a relief that Wesley is otherwise kept far in the background this episode.


THOUGHTS

TNG puts the "Rash" in Rashomon. Not only does the Kurosawa film have nothing to worry about, neither does the old M*A*S*H episode with Frank Burns court martialing Hawkeye. There is no suspense here. We know full well Riker cannot be guilty, and that he cannot be extradited - meaning that the entire episode is a question of waiting for the characters to discover his innocence. If this had centered around a recurring guest character whom the audience knows well enough to care about but not well enough to consider "untouchable" (say... O'Brien?), then there might be a bit of tension to be had. With Riker, it's obvious that he has to be cleared, and it doesn't take too long to figure out more or less how.

It doesn't help that when the moment of revelation comes, it comes wrapped in a cloak of Technobabble. Picard also has no explanation to offer as to how Riker's and Manua's stories could differ so wildly when both believe they are telling the truth. We're not talking minor variations here - What we see is the difference between an attempted seduction and an attempted rape, and the only explanation for how Manua could believe her story was true would seem to be active insanity. This point... is left totally unaddressed.

A Matter of Perspective is a competent episode, and it's no chore to watch. But with a fairly flat delivery of what has long since become a stock plot, this is not one of the stronger Season Three episodes... though I'll cheerfully admit that this exact episode would have looked a lot better alongside the weaker offerings of the first two seasons.


Overall Rating: 5/10.


Search Amazon.com for Star Trek: The Next Generation

Review Index

To receive new review updates, follow me:

On Twitter:

On Threads:

No comments:

Post a Comment