WHY WE LIKE IT: Carol Kane in The Princess Bride Zero.
WHY WE DON'T: Another very silly genre emulator.
REVIEW: When I saw this title on the schedule, I thought to myself "Haven't they already done a fairy tale episode?", and indeed they did - The Elysian Kingdom in Season 1. (For the record, I hated it.) And this is a SEQUEL to that episode (groan), in which the Enterprise comes across an impossible Discworld inhabited by the characters from the same book-come-to-life, who still look like the people they "possessed" in the previous episode. I suppose the "Boltzmann Brain" that created the situation went on to make this, but we don't really get much of an explanation. M'Benga (the only who remembers those events) simply jumps to the conclusion that the plot will try to address La'an's issues because that's kind of what it did for him, and she's the member of the Away Team most suffering from issues. Why not, it seems every crew member is fated to be isolated in a weird reality for just that purpose - Spock with the puppets, Pilke in the soap opera, Erica and Scotty in the Hangover episode, three of the cast in The Griffin Incident... But it's SO hand-wavey, here. Not even an appearance by M'Benga's daughter, unceremoniously left to the Brain's attentions?
I found it just as tedious on the second go-around. Whenever the cast is playing their fantasy selves, it's easily the worst acting they've ever done. How can they overact even more than they did in the soap?! The more I see of the Elysian Kingdom, the less I think of Benny Russell as a writer - it was a nice homage to Sisko's other self in that first episode, but now it's turned into character assassination. Seemingly designed around the visual of a fire-breathing dragon fighting the Enterprise, the plot is as otherwise asinine as the dialogue, and the symbolism obvious and trite. So there's a prophecy about an Iron Dragon (the ship) inhabited by the kingdom's "shadow selves", and La'an, who is all darkness these days, will have to merge with her "light side" (the princess) and learn to embrace both sides to live a happier life. In the end, she's gifted with the princess's dog (so is it REAL?!) and it follows her around everywhere she goes. AND since Kirk's relationship with Carol has fallen apart, he asks her out on a date - that he was on the planet as Dread Pirate--I mean, Prince Dashing is fine, but what is he doing aboard THIS time?! - which just puts a huge target on her back, if you ask me. As for the rest of the crew, they mostly act stupid. No one can tell Pike and Spock are acting strangely when their outrageous doubles take command of the ship? The comedy can't be at the expense of characterization - this season's greatest sin.
The one bright spot for me is Pelia, and Carol Kane's presence (her first away mission) almost makes the attempt at a Princess Bride (and therefore, Rob Reiner) spoof worthwhile. It actively feels like the world of that movie (the swamp alone), and Pelia references the film several times ("As you wish" and the cook named Max). She leaves WITH the Discworld (apparently a ship) at the end of this (never to be seen again? Has Scotty been promoted without even appearing in the episode?) to explore a romance WITH Max, so you could imagine her still in the Kingdom thousands of years later, married to Miracle Max. I thought her doppelganger would be the witch who lives in the swamp cabin, but no. And not for the first time (but apparently the last?), she's really giving Doctor Who vibes, and I REALLY can't help but think of her as an incarnation of Iris Wildthyme. Just the way she name-drops famous historical figures as if she met them all is very Doctorish, and therefore Irisish.
LESSON: Food is the way to a woman's heart.
REWATCHABILITY - Low: I didn't like the prequel to this, and I certainly don't like the sequel to it.
My guess with the puppy is either its real and there will be "she's not housebroken" jokes or fantasy creation and there are jokes that she never needs to be walked.
ReplyDeleteLiterally the only reason I bothered to finish watching this clunker is because I saw your review come up in my RSS feed and I didn't want to be unfair to your sacrifice by enjoying your snark without going through the same pain as you. Not even Uhura in a ridiculous cleavage dress could rescue this one, though I did chortle at the mention of "Max", even if it clearly meant Pelia being disposed of without even a good-bye.
ReplyDeleteI gather the next episode is better. I hope so!
It is, but then how it could it not be?
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