Retro Review: Tattoo
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I also enjoyed the B story much more then the spiritual mumbo jumbo. The doctor's illness was interesting to watch because it was very convincingly done. All those people who think the Doc's sentience is real because it's so realisticly conveyed - well look how realistically his cold is conveyed (doesn't mean he has a cold though).
Anyway, I can't remember too much about the sky people. Didn't this episode actually suggest that they still lived in a jungle on Earth? There was a flashback to when Chuckles was a kid and they met aliens or something. What?!
Oh I don't care. It was never a well thought-out aspect of his character. People often praise the show for having a spiritual character but when the spirituality is a mish-mash of made up nonsense, I'm not sure why they do. Had Chakotay been a devout Muslim, I might have been more impressed but having a spiritual character whose spiritualism is bogus gibberish isn't especially praise worthy.
How hilarious would it be to turn up on a planet and find a load of alien Muslims.
Not a terrible episode but just a bit silly and pointless.
Anyway, I can't remember too much about the sky people. Didn't this episode actually suggest that they still lived in a jungle on Earth? There was a flashback to when Chuckles was a kid and they met aliens or something. What?!
Oh I don't care. It was never a well thought-out aspect of his character. People often praise the show for having a spiritual character but when the spirituality is a mish-mash of made up nonsense, I'm not sure why they do. Had Chakotay been a devout Muslim, I might have been more impressed but having a spiritual character whose spiritualism is bogus gibberish isn't especially praise worthy.
How hilarious would it be to turn up on a planet and find a load of alien Muslims.
Not a terrible episode but just a bit silly and pointless.
I wonder if there are any other posters here with family ties to the indigenous population of the Americas? I do. I sometimes describe myself as rez born casino check cashing (and its not that much) tribal member which sounds impressive but the truth is I'm only 1/4 and didn't grow up on the reservation. I'm not a very good Indian. I'm more interested in my Irish heritage than I am of my Cherokee. I'm not ashamed of it nor am I particularly proud of it. Its just...there the same as someone else's German or English or Scottish background.
I don't have dream catchers (which would be odd as they are part of the culture of the Lakota Sioux) or pictures of wolves (which was my clan) all over the house...although I DID tell my children the stories of the Cherokee and our family history and how Cherokee society was set up and a little bit about how other tribes do things. They know enough to know whether something is authentic or not and they knew right off the bat that everything about Chakotay was 'fake'.
I don't know why they didn't do some research and make him a member of a 'real' tribe but I'm so used to the entertainment industry getting things like that 'wrong' that I'm a bit jaded about it although recently they are doing a MUCH better job. I recommend Longmire. They do a lot of things right.
Now as to his spirituality I've never been one to believe that religion just goes completely out the window in the future but I do believe it will become an intensely private thing and I HOPE that people will leave each other alone when it comes to matters of faith or lack thereof. That in of itself didn't bother me.
Yes this is one of the episodes where the B plot interested me more than the main plot. That happens several times during the course of the series.
I don't have dream catchers (which would be odd as they are part of the culture of the Lakota Sioux) or pictures of wolves (which was my clan) all over the house...although I DID tell my children the stories of the Cherokee and our family history and how Cherokee society was set up and a little bit about how other tribes do things. They know enough to know whether something is authentic or not and they knew right off the bat that everything about Chakotay was 'fake'.
I don't know why they didn't do some research and make him a member of a 'real' tribe but I'm so used to the entertainment industry getting things like that 'wrong' that I'm a bit jaded about it although recently they are doing a MUCH better job. I recommend Longmire. They do a lot of things right.
Now as to his spirituality I've never been one to believe that religion just goes completely out the window in the future but I do believe it will become an intensely private thing and I HOPE that people will leave each other alone when it comes to matters of faith or lack thereof. That in of itself didn't bother me.
Yes this is one of the episodes where the B plot interested me more than the main plot. That happens several times during the course of the series.
"Tattoo" is one of the few episodes that really irritates me. I'm not Native American, so obviously my offense simply comes by virtue of misrepresentation of Native American tribes, regardless of their origin.
It may not be racist, though I think an argument can be made their. However, I do think it is insensitive, and just shows an apathy in the character creation that really undermines the rest of the story.
It may not be racist, though I think an argument can be made their. However, I do think it is insensitive, and just shows an apathy in the character creation that really undermines the rest of the story.
The plot with the "Sky Spirits" is highly unrealistic and really insulting to the Native Americans who surely could develope without help from aliens.
But Chakotay's background story is highly interesting and the subplot where Kes alters the program The Doctor have made with the simulated flu is excellent and actually saves this episode.
As for me, I would rather have seen the scenario in "Nemesis" in this episode with flashbacks to Chakotay's past instead of the "Sky Spirits" rubbish.
Anyway, I'll give it 3 points out of 5 (due to the subplot and Chakotay's background story)
But Chakotay's background story is highly interesting and the subplot where Kes alters the program The Doctor have made with the simulated flu is excellent and actually saves this episode.
As for me, I would rather have seen the scenario in "Nemesis" in this episode with flashbacks to Chakotay's past instead of the "Sky Spirits" rubbish.
Anyway, I'll give it 3 points out of 5 (due to the subplot and Chakotay's background story)
The eagle attacking Neelixs' eye was certainly an odd & unexpected moment.
Nice to see Henry Darrow (Zorro!).
I wonder if that snowscape footage blended over the sky spirit and neanderthal was leftover footage from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country"?
Nice to see Henry Darrow (Zorro!).
I wonder if that snowscape footage blended over the sky spirit and neanderthal was leftover footage from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country"?
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