How the heck did I never see this episode before?
It's easy to see why Harry never gets promoted; he takes things so far out of context and in this case it's about a holodeck computer program.
The Tuvok/Harry double act is a refreshing change and a good one.
Indeed, VOY has always rocked my boat because they explore Tuvok and Vulcan lore so nicely for the most part. And yet I never saw this episode before and for his part in it alone the episode would easily get an A-.
It's amusing how the ship is hacked and nobody bats an eyelid, or references fixing anything by episode's end. That aside, it's a small enough nitpick and overshadowed by how so much of this episode works that point drops are not warranted.All despite the plot's setup and execution being rather astounding in its own right since it takes elements from a large handful of TNG episodes like a best-of grab-bag and somehow crafts something that feels fresh and virtually new despite it all. So anyone as pedantic like me can probably pick up on some elements of:
That's why
is also worthy of mention, since Tuvok gets to bring out the "I will die for the crew" but with a death situation so unlike any other we've seen so far in the franchise as well as being more a metaphor than a literal take... This episode's got its game going on for sure, and we're not even into season four yet. This episode rocks and, indeed, is ultimately an original entry bolstered by some solid innovation.
Paris reminding Harry that everyone has fallen in love in the holodeck and in his own way to say in few words 'Kindly get over it, you twit' is a nice touch, especially as it doesn't fling a banana cream reference at us (unlike the Elementary, Dear Data shout-out, which for the record happens to be used as a very cleverly as a red herring to throw the viewer down the garden path while in reality something far different is doing the deed.)
Had Harry actually gotten over a simulated being, the "alien of the week and in this case a voluntarily celibate one" would have found someone else to use as the holodecks tend to be used often enough, and Tuvok would still be ensnared given his security duties.
There's a nice touch - twofold - in addressing their recurring "problem of the week" with warp core breaches and if they figure out why this special nebula does its thing that they can get around any number of starships blowing up cores. Sadly, they never do realize how to deal with it. <--- spoiler alert. Also, dialogue indicating that it might take weeks to get something going is a very nice touch as problems are more often solved in minutes.
The ending where Tuvok indicates he understands, at least by rote, emotional conditions, by telling the volcel (as opposed to "incel") there are deeper needs and maybe she could get a replacement then take a nice vacation to get jiggy is rather well done.
But then, the whole episode had me focusing on it more than which episodes it may have borrowed from, noting "Skin of Evil" is aping Spock's frequently droned line of "the needs of the many" routine as well.
Lastly, this is a great little love story. Unrequited love and an emotional shell game that's crisp and well-handled, well-crafted, has all those 90s Trekkian staples, and all while delivering something new and fresh at the same time. (Noting that Tuvok also uses the same word with the same meaning and not the other typically-used meaning of "a group of people in the locker room, having just ran three miles" because that's described as "fresh" too. But doesn't begin to fit the qualitative nature of this episode...)
So's this song I'm bringing in out of the blue:
(No, the person at time index 3:31 is not Patsy Stone's stunt double...
How's that for an out-of-the-blue reference for an out-of-the-blue video? 
)
Rating: A. Solid A. Fantastic episode for the sake of the handling of Tuvok alone, but everything else just sweetens the pot. Truly an absolutely fabulous entry into the franchise.
It's easy to see why Harry never gets promoted; he takes things so far out of context and in this case it's about a holodeck computer program.
The Tuvok/Harry double act is a refreshing change and a good one.
Indeed, VOY has always rocked my boat because they explore Tuvok and Vulcan lore so nicely for the most part. And yet I never saw this episode before and for his part in it alone the episode would easily get an A-.
It's amusing how the ship is hacked and nobody bats an eyelid, or references fixing anything by episode's end. That aside, it's a small enough nitpick and overshadowed by how so much of this episode works that point drops are not warranted.All despite the plot's setup and execution being rather astounding in its own right since it takes elements from a large handful of TNG episodes like a best-of grab-bag and somehow crafts something that feels fresh and virtually new despite it all. So anyone as pedantic like me can probably pick up on some elements of:
- Hollow Pursuits
- Elementary Dear Data (okay, that's the freebie that in-episode dialogue cheesily admits in referring to)
- 11001001
- Future Imperfect
- Lonely Among Us
- Contagion
- Hero Worship
That's why
8. Skin of Evil
is also worthy of mention, since Tuvok gets to bring out the "I will die for the crew" but with a death situation so unlike any other we've seen so far in the franchise as well as being more a metaphor than a literal take... This episode's got its game going on for sure, and we're not even into season four yet. This episode rocks and, indeed, is ultimately an original entry bolstered by some solid innovation.
Paris reminding Harry that everyone has fallen in love in the holodeck and in his own way to say in few words 'Kindly get over it, you twit' is a nice touch, especially as it doesn't fling a banana cream reference at us (unlike the Elementary, Dear Data shout-out, which for the record happens to be used as a very cleverly as a red herring to throw the viewer down the garden path while in reality something far different is doing the deed.)
Had Harry actually gotten over a simulated being, the "alien of the week and in this case a voluntarily celibate one" would have found someone else to use as the holodecks tend to be used often enough, and Tuvok would still be ensnared given his security duties.
There's a nice touch - twofold - in addressing their recurring "problem of the week" with warp core breaches and if they figure out why this special nebula does its thing that they can get around any number of starships blowing up cores. Sadly, they never do realize how to deal with it. <--- spoiler alert. Also, dialogue indicating that it might take weeks to get something going is a very nice touch as problems are more often solved in minutes.
The ending where Tuvok indicates he understands, at least by rote, emotional conditions, by telling the volcel (as opposed to "incel") there are deeper needs and maybe she could get a replacement then take a nice vacation to get jiggy is rather well done.
But then, the whole episode had me focusing on it more than which episodes it may have borrowed from, noting "Skin of Evil" is aping Spock's frequently droned line of "the needs of the many" routine as well.
Lastly, this is a great little love story. Unrequited love and an emotional shell game that's crisp and well-handled, well-crafted, has all those 90s Trekkian staples, and all while delivering something new and fresh at the same time. (Noting that Tuvok also uses the same word with the same meaning and not the other typically-used meaning of "a group of people in the locker room, having just ran three miles" because that's described as "fresh" too. But doesn't begin to fit the qualitative nature of this episode...)
So's this song I'm bringing in out of the blue:
(No, the person at time index 3:31 is not Patsy Stone's stunt double...
How's that for an out-of-the-blue reference for an out-of-the-blue video? )Rating: A. Solid A. Fantastic episode for the sake of the handling of Tuvok alone, but everything else just sweetens the pot. Truly an absolutely fabulous entry into the franchise.
