Chrysalis: universally reviled, or unfairly persecuted?

[Myasishchev]

I've never understood the hate this episode gets. It's one of my personal favorites, probably my favorite of the "quiet" episodes, except perhaps The Wire.

I like it because it tells a personal story about Bashir being tempted by the most understandable of reasons into ethical conflict and selfishness. There's a real element of tragedy to it--only Bashir could save Serena, but by doing so he foreclosed any possibility that she could ever be with him, because neither one could never be quite sure whether she loved him or because she simply owed him. Not the most exciting Star Trek yarn ever presented, perhaps, but worth telling and emotionally involving to watch.

But that wouldn't make it a great episode. The other regulars' presence is limited but they have important things to do (Ezri's cute, as usual, and Miles tries to warn Julian of the impending disaster, but seems to sadly realize it would do nothing to deter him and merely create unnecessary friction). The presence of the Jack Pack is an effective spice for the episode. Patrick's "That's a stupid question!" routine isn't necessarily all that plausible a way of effectively infiltrating Starfleet, but the Jack Pack's method has a bureaucracy-is-stupid veracity to it that can't be easily ignored, and is pretty hilarious in either case. Jack's crazy-person obsession with preventing the collapse of the universe is also fun to watch (I wonder if anyone mentioned to him that the alternative is heat death so he needn't bother).

And I'd be remiss to not point the standout scene of the episode. Serena finding her voice with the mutants' help is about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in Star Trek, and I feel pity for anyone who isn't at least a little exhilirated by that wonderful scene.

However, the apparent consensus is it sucks. How could I alone be blind to the crappiness that is apparently hiding in Chrysalis? Let's find out if that's the case, with some loaded poll questions. Bonus points if you correctly identify the reference in poll response no. 1.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I've never understood the hate this episode gets. It's one of my personal favorites, probably my favorite of the "quiet" episodes, except perhaps The Wire.

I like it because it tells a personal story about Bashir being tempted by the most understandable of reasons into ethical conflict and selfishness. There's a real element of tragedy to it--only Bashir could save Serena, but by doing so he foreclosed any possibility that she could ever be with him, because neither one could never be quite sure whether she loved him or because she simply owed him. Not the most exciting Star Trek yarn ever presented, perhaps, but worth telling and emotionally involving to watch.

But that wouldn't make it a great episode. The other regulars' presence is limited but they have important things to do (Ezri's cute, as usual, and Miles tries to warn Julian of the impending disaster, but seems to sadly realize it would do nothing to deter him and merely create unnecessary friction). The presence of the Jack Pack is an effective spice for the episode. Patrick's "That's a stupid question!" routine isn't necessarily all that plausible a way of effectively infiltrating Starfleet, but the Jack Pack's method has a bureaucracy-is-stupid veracity to it that can't be easily ignored, and is pretty hilarious in either case. Jack's crazy-person obsession with preventing the collapse of the universe is also fun to watch (I wonder if anyone mentioned to him that the alternative is heat death so he needn't bother).

And I'd be remiss to not point the standout scene of the episode. Serena finding her voice with the mutants' help is about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in Star Trek, and I feel pity for anyone who isn't at least a little exhilirated by that wonderful scene.

However, the apparent consensus is it sucks. How could I alone be blind to the crappiness that is apparently hiding in Chrysalis? Let's find out if that's the case, with some loaded poll questions. Bonus points if you correctly identify the reference in poll response no. 1.

Well, I'm not voting in the poll, but I would like to say I like "Chrysalis". I'm surprised to hear that it is apparently so reviled.

 

[Myasishchev]

Maybe it isn't, but that's the impression I've gotten...

 

[Jono]

I found Chrysalis middling, because it was an average episode and the Jack Pack are inane characters and I didn't buy Bashir falling for Serena.

 

[Danny99]

I found Chrysalis middling, because it was an average episode and the Jack Pack are inane characters and I didn't buy Bashir falling for Serena.

I agree 100% with this statement.

Bashir sort've just fell for Serena after showing no interest in her previously.

I've always detested the Jack Pack. Their shtick was okay the first time, but it did not warrant a sequel.

 

[intrinsical]

I like the Jack Pack, I love music too. So while this may be an average episode to most people, it is certainly one that I have enjoyed watching repeatedly over the past decade

 

[RyuRoots]

Y'know, the "I liked it" poll option doesn't work so well if any female fans liked Chrysalis.

After seeing "Statistical Probabilities", and then realizing that the nutjob quartet was returning in Chrysalis, I skipped over it and haven't looked back. I doubt very much I missed anything that would interest me aside from maybe snippets of Ezri or O'Brien.

 

[Myasishchev]

Y'know, the "I liked it" poll option doesn't work so well if any female fans liked Chrysalis.

It's a metaphor. And a cite to one of the greatest web cartoons of all time.

After seeing "Statistical Probabilities", and then realizing that the nutjob quartet was returning in Chrysalis, I skipped over it and haven't looked back. I doubt very much I missed anything that would interest me aside from maybe snippets of Ezri or O'Brien.

I suppose if one doesn't like the mutants, one might not like Chrysalis. The Jack Pack are actually bigger jerks in this one than in the last, after a fashion.

 

[Navaros]

These Poll options are all quite offensive.

Anyhow, Chrysalis is an unwatchable abomination. I loved the Jack augments in Statistical Probablitlies, which was truly a masterpiece episode.

Using them again as generic talking heads as part of a worthless 'love interest of the week' story in Chrysalis completely ruined their characters, though; not to mention that antiquated, lame 'love interest of the week' nonsense formula had already worn out it's welcome way back in TOS.

Furthermore, the lip-syncing is quite possibly the most embarrassing, cringe-inducing, unwatchable moment in all of Trek (although, it is rivalled for that spot by Voyager's lip-syncing clown/doctor).

The one and only good and/or watchable scene in Chrysalis is when they are messing with Nog in the teaser. Chrysalis would have been far better if they stopped filming it right after that scene was done.

 

[exodus]

I found Chrysalis middling, because it was an average episode and the Jack Pack are inane characters and I didn't buy Bashir falling for Serena.

I agree 100% with this statement.

Bashir sort've just fell for Serena after showing no interest in her previously.

Bashir dated a Dabo girl and the show pretty much established that Bashir would bang any woman that gave him the time of day.

Me personally, I like the ep. The best part is when they sing.
the Jack pack reminded me of some of the types of folks you see at Trek Cons......................except the nympho, DAMMIT!!!!

 

[Myasishchev]

These Poll options are all quite offensive.

Oh, mercy, I was just joking around. All right, can a mod just change them to good, neutral, and bad, or similar, please?

Anyhow, Chrysalis is an unwatchable abomination. I loved the Jack augments in Statistical Probablitlies, which was truly a masterpiece episode.

Using them again as generic talking heads as part of a worthless 'love interest of the week' story in Chrysalis completely ruined their characters, though; not to mention that antiquated, lame 'love interest of the week' nonsense formula had already worn out it's welcome way back in TOS.

That's valid. Although I felt it was at least more palatable than, say, Meridian, because Serena was a returning character, someone whom Bashir had invested a lot of emotional energy in before she ever uttered a word.

Furthermore, the lip-syncing is quite possibly the most embarrassing, cringe-inducing, unwatchable moment in all of Trek (although, it is rivalled for that spot by Voyager's lip-syncing clown/doctor).

Matter of taste, I guess.

The one and only good and/or watchable scene in Chrysalis is when they are messing with Nog in the teaser. Chrysalis would have been far better if they stopped filming it right after that scene was done.

Ouch, but a legal hit.

Me personally, I like the ep. The best part is when they sing.
the Jack pack reminded me of some of the types of folks you see at Trek Cons......................except the nympho, DAMMIT!!!!

You know, obviously I can't diagnose someone after twenty-thirty minutes of observation (or, not being an M.D. or psychologist, at all ), I still kind of wonder what her issue actually was. With the other two it's obvious why they're in the Institute. I mean, Patrick would spend his days crying in a corner in the outside world, and Jack is a violent psychopath, but what's her deal? Promiscuity?

 

[happydave]

Her issue was that she had an incredibly high drive in terms of emotion and believed everyone was in love with her. While a lot of people wouldn't see that as an issue, if you end up unable to function due to thinking everyone loves you (not in an ego way) it really would screw up your relationships with everyone.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I just couldn't buy that even someone as spacey and horny as Bashir wouldn't realize how completely absurd the idea of a doctor falling for one of his patients who until recently was completely catatonic is. I actually liked the song though.

 

[intrinsical]

Her issue was that she had an incredibly high drive in terms of emotion and believed everyone was in love with her. While a lot of people wouldn't see that as an issue, if you end up unable to function due to thinking everyone loves you (not in an ego way) it really would screw up your relationships with everyone.

By that measure, perhaps Lwaxana Troi should be in the institute too?

 

[Myasishchev]

^Or the heart of a star. Major Winchester should've at least tried, for science.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Middling.

I didn't find the premise of doctor falling for patient that hard to believe. Bashir fell for Melora, after all. And that chick wasn't even from a compatible environment.

Now, was it an episode needed at the time...not sure. There were some throw-aways, but even latter day DS9's throw-aways were better than a lot of other t.v. shows.

 

[Thestral]

I thought it was an excellent, touching episode for Bashir, and a nice "closing act" of young, single, hopeless puppy Bashir. It's a warning of the danger in breaching medical ethics, not just for what it does to the patient but also what it can do to the doctor.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

I really like it, but...

The disturbing aspect of the episode is that Bashir is getting involved with one of his patients who is in an incredibly vulnerable position. And he is in a postion of power over her.

By the standards of today, this really seems ethically wrong. Maybe the standards are different in the future? Miles even mentions that she is his patient, but Bashir quickly brushes him off by saying he was transferred her to another Doctor.

 

[flemm]

This episode left little impression one me at the time, and I haven't rewatched it. Statistical Probabilities had its stengths, but even then I wasn't fond of the Jack Pack in particular.

Bashir is the character that the DS9 writers had the hardest time with, I think. They could never get a handle on him, so they just kept throwing various plotlines (and romances) at him in a more or less vain attempt to make him interesting.

Section 31 was the best idea that process produced. Revealing that he is genetically enhanced worked a lot less well in my view. For one thing, it meant that he had been lying to Miles and underplaying his own abilities, physical and mental, for as long as they'd known each other, a fact that would seriously impact, if not destroy, any friendship. This could actually have been interesting, if it had been explored, but it never was. In a relatively rare instance where character implications of an event are not explored in DS9, the friendship carried on as if nothing had happened. I found this implausible.

Some interesting stuff in Statistical Probabilities, but beyond that the whole "Bashir has been genetically enhanced all along" subplot did nothing for me.

 

[Tulaberry whine]

Bashir is the character that the DS9 writers had the hardest time with, I think. They could never get a handle on him, so they just kept throwing various plotlines (and romances) at him in a more or less vain attempt to make him interesting.

Totally disagree. Whether you find him interesting or not is a matter if opinion I guess, but even among the characters on Deep Space Nine, the growth over the course of the show of Bashir - a character who on first impressions has no obvious baggage, unlike Sisko, Kira or Odo - is quite dramatic. In seven seasons he goes from idealistic, enthusiastic to a fault albeit somewhat inept socially and professionally to cynical and rather jaded but accomplished professionally and personally. In short, I think the character was handled exceedingly well by the writers.

And friends (as well as lovers, siblings, co-workers, etc) lie to each other all time, I don't think for a second his 'mutant' revelation would prompt the dissolution of Bashir's friendship with O'Brien, it was shown time and again to be much more solid than that.

As for Chryalis, I think this episode would have worked a lot better if more time was spent establishing and exploring the personal dramas that prompt Bashir into pursuing this relationship with Serena. Unfortunately, the most interesting aspects of this episode are either implied or mentioned briefly in passing. Bashir has to need this relationship to make the episode work and I never bought that.