Phase II: Blood and Fire Part 1 Released!! (SPOILERS)

[Rat Boy]

I also have to disagree with the notion that if Alex was female that it would lose any of the drama. Captain Kirk’s reaction to what Peter had to say has a bit of a layer of subtext to it after finding out his nephew wants to marry a man. How much did he really know about him? Did he even know he was gay? It speaks a lot about the relationship between Peter and his de facto father figure....

As someone who was there when that scene was shot, the impression I got from that exchange was that Kirk simply didn't know Peter was in a relationship at all. That the relationship was with another man, wasn't even on his mind. Which still carries the same implication as to how much Kirk knows about his own nephew.

"Spock, how long has my nephew had a mullet?"

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

This is what I posted, with some additional edits, over at Trekmovie:

Just finished watching this episode, and enjoyed it quite a bit. There are a few critiques/comments that I have on the episode:

1) Editing and pacing; could have been tighter in some places (the conversation in Peter Kirk’s quarters) and longer in others (Kirk alone in the briefing room; it cuts away to quickly and doesn’t dwell on the weight of Kirk’s decision — i.e. the camera should have continued panning across Kirk as he sat, shoulders slumped, on the briefing room table.

2) James Cawley has really made Kirk his own in the last few adventures, but he slips back into Shatner impersonation in the scene where Peter asks him to perform the wedding ceremony. Yes, I know it sets up the humorous bit later but it's overcooked and breaks the fourth wall too much. Moreover, it doesn't mesh well with the rest of his performance in the episode.


3) John Kelly continues to impress me as Doctor McCoy. He and Cawley, by far, are my favorites of the series. Kelly brings something to the character of McCoy that I can’t quite put my finger on that I enjoy watching. Ben Toplin is also good as Spock, but I don't want to get too attached since another is taking over the role down the line.

4) Lots of good one-liners in this episode.

5) Direction — Some of the camera angles aren't dynamic enough to convey the horror or the drama of the situation. They are the standard, stately manor in which ModTrek was usually shot in. TOS seemed much more daring its its use of angles and shots. The scene with Hodel is grotesque for certain, but the shot isn’t energetic and horrific. The right camera angle could have done much more than the CGI effect in conveying the terror. Horror works best when it’s implied and not overtly direct. In other words, the scariest monster (or terror) is the one you imagine and can’t fully see.

The lighting, however, was dynamic and evocative of many of the first-season episodes of TOS. It was a little too dark in the teaser though.

6) While I understand the need to introduce the character of Peter and his relationship with Alex, I long for Phase II to focus more on Kirk, Spock and McCoy in future outings. They are too often overshadowed by the guest story in the fan series. That and I like Kelly and Cawley as their respective characters.

7) Xon seems a bit “too cold” here. I hope that over the course of the next outings he develops the characteristics as outlined in the aborted PII series; trying to emulate human behavior and emotions.

8) The relationship is handled well. It is treated as it should be treated; as another relationship between two people who love each other and not “highlighted” by some overt political statement like many shows did in the early 90s.

To show an effective gay relationship is just to do that -- show the relationship without comment from other characters. I thought the dialog is also very much in keeping with the “cheesy” stuff we all say to our partners regardless of sexual orientation. It has a naturalistic feeling to it, even though the quarter scene runs a bit too long.

Congrats to Phase II for giving us an all too-human relationship.

I look forward to part two and the next two adventures.

 

[Rat Boy]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

Doh! I forgot about that one. Which begets the question -- where was Sulu in the episode? Probably hiding from another caption contest.

 

[Rat Boy]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

Doh! I forgot about that one. Which begets the question -- where was Sulu in the episode? Probably hiding from another caption contest.

Starring in a fan film prequel to The Green Berets?

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

Doh! I forgot about that one. Which begets the question -- where was Sulu in the episode? Probably hiding from another caption contest.

Starring in a fan film prequel to The Green Berets?

^That must be it!

 

[Hudson_uk]

It's available as mp4 downloads. I'm not 100% sure which link but I went through the published links and downloaded them using a torrent.

 

[SeerSGB]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

A Sulu gay-joke in a fanfilm about a homosexual relationship...yeah, didn't see that one coming at all

 

[Professor Moriarty]

Regarding the Peter Kirk and Alex Freeman characters: I didn't buy their relationship for a second. The actor playing Freeman seemed to be into it, but Bobby Rice (Peter) looked like he was shying away from kissing his co-star. Bzzzt! Sorry, but that really took me out of the moment. A pity... but I won't let it spoil my enjoyment of the rest of the episode.

By the way, the bloodworm attack on that poor redshirt was one of the most horrifying sequences I've seen in ANY incarnation of Star Trek, "canon" or not. I showed this to my better half and he was suitably freaked out watching the hapless Brit being devoured by the swarming beasties. YUCK! (And well done!)

 

[Rat Boy]

By the way, the bloodworm attack on that poor redshirt was one of the most horrifying sequences I've seen in ANY incarnation of Star Trek, "canon" or not. I showed this to my better half and he was suitably freaked out watching the hapless Brit being devoured by the swarming beasties. YUCK! (And well done!)

An exploding rock seems merciful by comparison.

 

[Mallory]

An exploding rock seems merciful by comparison.

I'll say!

 

[AJBryant]

If you want some sense of Roddenberry's participation in the "Blood And Fire" debacle read Engels' book "Gene Roddenberry: The Man And The Myth Behind Star Trek." His account was derived from eyewitnesses.

Would you care to provide an overview for those of us who don't have this book?

 

[dru]

Regarding the Peter Kirk and Alex Freeman characters: I didn't buy their relationship for a second. The actor playing Freeman seemed to be into it, but Bobby Rice (Peter) looked like he was shying away from kissing his co-star. Bzzzt! Sorry, but that really took me out of the moment. A pity... but I won't let it spoil my enjoyment of the rest of the episode.

I saw that more as problematic direction and really, really bad editing.

Bobby's "played gay" before as Ro Nevin on "Hidden Frontier" he's done his share of gay kisses in character. He's also played an ex-boyfriend on TV's "The Lair" this season so he's not shy in that regard. I assume he played that scene like he was told.

 

[ST-One]

What? No comment on the Sulu joke, middy? Between that and the "being your own best friend" crack in the Destiny novels, I sometimes wonder if people have been hanging around our caption contests too much.

The Sulu-joke was very good (even better when you consider the fact that the guy who plays Sulu in 'The Child' also played the boyfriend/husband of Bobby Rice's character on Hidden Frontier).

 

[ST-One]

Regarding the Peter Kirk and Alex Freeman characters: I didn't buy their relationship for a second. The actor playing Freeman seemed to be into it, but Bobby Rice (Peter) looked like he was shying away from kissing his co-star. Bzzzt! Sorry, but that really took me out of the moment. A pity... but I won't let it spoil my enjoyment of the rest of the episode.

Have a look at Hidden Frontier.
Rice doesn't have a problem kissing other men... it must have been the direction on this scene...

 

[votd]

I thought that the effects were very well done; my favourite was when Chekov was using the scanner and we see the wireframe of the Copernicus - simple but effective.

I found the bedroom scene a little/very uncomfortable - I'm not anti-gay or anything - but just imagine if Troi was laid on a bed and Riker positioned himself like in that scene - it seems a little overt.

Plus Peter Kirk's acting was atrocious, why do fan film actors insist on shouting all the time??

 

[ST-One]

I thought that the effects were very well done; my favourite was when Chekov was using the scanner and we see the wireframe of the Copernicus - simple but effective.

I found the bedroom scene a little/very uncomfortable - I'm not anti-gay or anything - but just imagine if Troi was laid on a bed and Riker positioned himself like in that scene - it seems a little overt.

Plus Peter Kirk's acting was atrocious, why do fan film actors insist on shouting all the time??

He expected bad sound-recording equipment?

I agree that we would never have seen Troi and Riker in a ... position like that.
But this scene shows 'young love' (meaning love between two young people), which tends to be a bit more open and 'overt'.

 

[GSchnitzer]

I thought that the effects were very well done; my favourite was when Chekov was using the scanner and we see the wireframe of the Copernicus - simple but effective.

I found the bedroom scene a little/very uncomfortable - I'm not anti-gay or anything - but just imagine if Troi was laid on a bed and Riker positioned himself like in that scene - it seems a little overt.

Plus Peter Kirk's acting was atrocious, why do fan film actors insist on shouting all the time??

He expected bad sound-recording equipment?

I agree that we would never have seen Troi and Riker in a ... position like that.
But this scene shows 'young love' (meaning love between two young people), which tends to be a bit more open and 'overt'.

Actually, I think we saw Deana Troi and Devinoni Ral in "The Price" in this exact same kind of encounter. At the time, there was a big deal made that Troi was not only snuggling and smooching with Ral, but that she actually climbed on top of him and straddled him while they were lying on the bed. I think Marina Sirtis appeared on "The Arsenio Hall Show," she called "The Price" "the episode where Troi finally gets her leg over."

Greg Schnitzer
Star Trek Phase II

 

[ALF]

Regarding the Peter Kirk and Alex Freeman characters: I didn't buy their relationship for a second. The actor playing Freeman seemed to be into it, but Bobby Rice (Peter) looked like he was shying away from kissing his co-star. Bzzzt! Sorry, but that really took me out of the moment. A pity... but I won't let it spoil my enjoyment of the rest of the episode.

Agreed. It sort of looked like they were filming the rehearsal... or they'd never actually kissed until the cameras rolled. The Klingon D7 battle was way more believable in terms of execution!

Actually, I felt they mismatched casting of the gay couple entirely. I felt that the medical officer dude should have been cast as Peter Kirk and vice versa.

Anyway, I feel like an ass nitpicking a very well polished fan film creation triumph. A very enjoyable episode. I hope the wait for part II isn't too long.

 

[DeafPoet]

I thought it was pretty good episode on the whole. As always these things are tough to evaluate without seeing the rest of the story, though.

The production values were top notch with the exception of a couple of scenes that weren't miked very well. Good to see some New Voyages without any stunt casting (although I realize that's coming) and I thought all the actors acquitted themselves well considering it's a fan film. Special mention should go to Andy Bray and James Cawley. Cawley in particular is "doing Shatner" less and less as the series progresses and it keeps getting more convincing.

My only real gripe is the scene with Peter and his lover and it's got nothing to do with the subject matter. I thought the scene was performed just fine but it could have definitely benefited from a more judicious editor. I realize New Voyages isn't known for its breakneck pace, but the rest of the episode clips along pretty well and this scene just feels like a black hole of energy in comparison.

Anyway, looking forward to Part II whenever they get around to releasing it!