What REPRESSION needed to be a great episode

[david g]

I still think that REPRESSION is a good episode unfairly maligned. It has a great ominous atmosphere, and I love Tom's holo-theater. Such a pity they didnt continue it--everyone looked adorable in those 3D glasses, and the films had such marvellous retro appeal.

Anyway, I rewatched and I now realize where the episode failed. It's actually--contrary to negative reviews of the episode--quite plausible that a religious zealot would keep on fighting for a cause even after it's clearly been defeated; I buy that the Bajoran would try to keep the Maquis movement alive, despite its having ended.

But what the episode fails to do is to reflect, in Trekkian style, on the moral issues at stake; it fails to raise question about what motivates blind zealotry and obsession even beyond a cause itself. The writing fails itself in this episode.

On the other hand, something the episode does do is to subtly plant the seeds for the cooling off of the Janeway-Chakotay relationship. They are certainly at odds here in a way that seems deeply personal, beyond the "mind control" plot--that incredible death-look Janeway gives Chakotay! So we are not surprised in SHATTERED when Chakotay reveals to Janeway that nothing happens between them.

 

[kimc]

On the other hand, something the episode does do is to subtly plant the seeds for the cooling off of the Janeway-Chakotay relationship. They are certainly at odds here in a way that seems deeply personal, beyond the "mind control" plot--that incredible death-look Janeway gives Chakotay! So we are not surprised in SHATTERED when Chakotay reveals to Janeway that nothing happens between them.

Perhaps that would have been true in retrospect except it's obvious now that they didn't have an overall plan as far as relationships went. At the beginning of "Shattered" J & C were back to having dinner in her quarters and drinking/talking into the night so whatever residual issues there were from "Repression" must have been worked out offscreen.

 

[exodus]

I think the ep. fails because it's hard to believe that someone with the mental disappline of a Vulcan like Tuvok would be vulnerable to mind control.

 

[david g]

But Exodus, the techniques were shown to be technologically sophisticated and extremely invasive--no person, even a Vulcan, could be immune to every such technology, could they?

 

[Kegek]

I still think that REPRESSION is a good episode unfairly maligned. It has a great ominous atmosphere, and I love Tom's holo-theater. Such a pity they didnt continue it--everyone looked adorable in those 3D glasses, and the films had such marvellous retro appeal.

Yes, this was certainly a great holodeck program. I loved the various retro things that Tom Paris did over the course of the series, and this one is certainly a favourite. I agree the episode has a nice degree of tension and atmosphere, as well. I liked seeing Chell. And all-in-all, I liked this episode; it's fun, fairly exciting, and rests its shoulders on Tuvok for a change - and, as is usual, Tim Russ delivers.

Anyway, I rewatched and I now realize where the episode failed. It's actually--contrary to negative reviews of the episode--quite plausible that a religious zealot would keep on fighting for a cause even after it's clearly been defeated; I buy that the Bajoran would try to keep the Maquis movement alive, despite its having ended.

But there's just one problem with that. Why does he want the Maquis to come back? The Maquis were a group which fought to protect former Federation colonists in the Cardassian Demilitarized Zone. By this point in time, all the Maquis have been wiped out, the planets have probably been abandoned; and more importantly the Cardassian threat has been completely destroyed through the Dominion War. There's no reason for the Maquis to exist.

And even assuming he has his reasons... what good are an army of mind-controlled Maquis going to do in the Delta Quadrant? He might be a blind religious zealot; but presumably he wants to accomplish something with this Maquis army. It's never made entirely clear what.

Ultimately, this whole plot is unsatisfying because the idea of a Maquis threat has been so neutralised that this rather ridiculous plot element must be put into play to make it feasible again... especially as this selfsame plot element also allows for the reset button to be conveniently pushed at the end of the hour.

 

[exodus]

But Exodus, the techniques were shown to be technologically sophisticated and extremely invasive--no person, even a Vulcan, could be immune to every such technology, could they?

Yeah, the only thing missing was Gene Wilder screaming: "LIFE!!! GIVE MY CREATURE, LIFE!!!!!!"

 

[david g]

Kegek, I think youre totally right. But I think we're talking about the same flaw, more or less. The script fails to go into motivation. I guess I think it could have bypassed *that* question by thematizing the inscrutability of zealotry and obsession. Maybe what drove the villain here *cant* be logically explained (another reason why it would be especially maddening to Tuvok).

 

[brcarthey]

i think what failed in this episode is due to the writers. janeway knows maquis have been attacked. when in the cell with tuvok, she knows it's he who did it. when tuvok contacts chakotay and recites his command, janeway is then unable to reach chakotay.

first, while tuvok is in custody, why does he have his com badge? if someone says something to another person and that person then fails to respond to you. wouldn't you have security or someone detain that person? instead she keeps talking to tuvok and igores the fact that her first officer is no longer responding to her. then, chakotay shoots tom and b'elanna barely reacts to it. if someone shot my wife in front of me even if i was groggy i think i'd have a little more reaction than just rising and looking at the shooter. on a lesser beef, why wasn't tom mind melded (he was maquis for a time) and why did seven of nine pull a disappearing act?

while the premise of this episode about religious zealotry is good, the execution of it is just rushed and not done properly, IMO. maybe if it had been a two part episode with more of the crew getting brainwashed then a longer battle to bring them out of it, would've been interesting.

 

[exodus]

i think what failed in this episode is due to the writers. janeway knows maquis have been attacked. when in the cell with tuvok, she knows it's he who did it. when tuvok contacts chakotay and recites his command, janeway is then unable to reach chakotay.

first, while tuvok is in custody, why does he have his com badge? if someone says something to another person and that person then fails to respond to you. wouldn't you have security or someone detain that person? instead she keeps talking to tuvok and igores the fact that her first officer is no longer responding to her. then, chakotay shoots tom and b'elanna barely reacts to it. if someone shot my wife in front of me even if i was groggy i think i'd have a little more reaction than just rising and looking at the shooter. on a lesser beef, why wasn't tom mind melded (he was maquis for a time) and why did seven of nine pull a disappearing act?

while the premise of this episode about religious zealotry is good, the execution of it is just rushed and not done properly, IMO. maybe if it had been a two part episode with more of the crew getting brainwashed then a longer battle to bring them out of it, would've been interesting.

WORD!!!!!

Especially since all they mostly covered with Be'Lanna was her "Klingon" temper. Suddenly, she doesn't feel like fighting.

 

[RoJoHen]

I think it failed because it wasn't a 2-parter. It should have ended with Tuvok pointing a phaser at Janeway, followed by TO BE CONTINUED!

 

[david g]

Rojo, I wonder where that two-parter would have gone in part two...it would have been so intriguing, especially if they'd come up with something more plausible as a motivation for reigniting the Maquis.

 

[exodus]

Rojo, I wonder where that two-parter would have gone in part two...it would have been so intriguing, especially if they'd come up with something more plausible as a motivation for reigniting the Maquis.

I was thinking something similar to Agatha Christie's: "...and Then There Where None." AKA -10 Little Indians.

 

[JanineSal]

But what the episode fails to do is to reflect, in Trekkian style, on the moral issues at stake; it fails to raise question about what motivates blind zealotry and obsession even beyond a cause itself. The writing fails itself in this episode.

As far as I'm concerned, the only problem with REPRESSION is that it should have been a two-part episode to flesh out the story a little more. I can say the same about Season 2's ALLIANCE.

 

[mr.peany]

^ I loved Alliance. Wish they had developed these stories better. The only problem I found with Repression was that it occurred 6 years too late.

 

[exodus]

^ I loved Alliance. Wish they had developed these stories better. The only problem I found with Repression was that it occurred 6 years too late.

Agreed on both parts.

 

[mr.peany]

They really could have developed a really compelling story arc around a Maquis takeover. It would have been really interesting to see the relationship between Janeway and Chakotay evolve after that, especially around the mid to end of season 2, where trust between the two had been consolidated. The repercussions would have been fascinating to watch.

 

[exodus]

They really could have developed a really compelling story arc around a Maquis takeover. It would have been really interesting to see the relationship between Janeway and Chakotay evolve after that, especially around the mid to end of season 2, where trust between the two had been consolidated. The repercussions would have been fascinating to watch.

Chakotay would never go against Janeway unless she was out of the picture first. Unfortunately they estabished early on that he was a whipping boy for women with strong personalities.

He was Seska's puppet, Be'Lanna's toy and Janeways lap dog. Seska's had him wrapped around her finger, even after she was revealed to be a lier, sabatour & a spy. He wouldn't defy Janeway until she was knock out cold in "Scorpion."

Unfortunately, Chakotay is afraid of his own shadow.

 

[kimc]

He wouldn't defy Janeway until she was knock out cold in "Scorpion."

And managed to make a pretty big mess of things at the same time.

 

[exodus]

He wouldn't defy Janeway until she was knock out cold in "Scorpion."

And managed to make a pretty big mess of things at the same time.

Very true.

I like Chakotay but he was a bad leader.

 

[Guy Gardener]

He wouldn't defy Janeway until she was knock out cold in "Scorpion."

And managed to make a pretty big mess of things at the same time.

Very true.

I like Chakotay but he was a bad leader.

He got Voyager through the Year of Hell without screaming "ramming speed!" in the original time line seen in Before and After. A real year of hell, not the namby pamby second half of season 4 Janeway strolled through... Actually how much time are we supposed to believe occurred between year of Hell II and random Thoughts? Was there a year abouts as Janeway skirted around Krenim space or just a week or so as usual because in a previous timeline all the cultures Janeway bumped into until half way into season 5 had been part of Krenim space?

What about Marla Gilmore? He was into that and she was utterly submissive.

Riley on the other hand tricked him into group sex and he didn't mind... but why oh why did he make out with Ellen Tigh? If she reverted to her real body, if that appearance was only an optical and sensory illusion and he was making out with a non transformed 8472, it's a good thing he didn't invite her to sit on his face. Was the Fight a blatant commentary on this gimp attitude of his, that only Chakotay could get his head around a language whose tenets relied on having the crap beaten out of you?