449. Field of FireFORMULA: Facets + Equilibrium + The Darkness and the Light
WHY WE LIKE IT: X-ray specs!
WHY WE DON'T: Going through Jorans at light speed.
REVIEW: The last of three back-to-back Ezri episodes, and hopefully we'll be all caught up with her character now and ready to give others much-needed attention. Field of Fire basically makes her a profiler in a murder case, which is certainly an interesting use of the cast's psychologist (I wonder how much damage was done to Troi by calling her a "counselor" instead... certainly limits the scope of stories). And since a joined Trill has many psychologies to filter the world through already, they should make very competent profilers.
It's also a chance to bring back Joran and see how poor mixed-up Ezri can control that part of her without the proper training. Leigh J. McCloskey is the third person to play the psychotic Trill personality, and it's a completely different performance from the first two (which were unlike one another as well). He doesn't look like Jeff Magnus McBride, nor sound like Avery Brooks. Here, Joran is summoned to help with the investigation, but tries to assert himself in such a way as to make Ezri kill. He's dismissive of everyone and a bully. We're told she'll be more violent in the future, but we'll have to see about that.
The summoning of Joran is just a conceit anyway, someone Ezri can talk to while she's essentially talking to herself. We just have to believe Trills can isolate personalities this way, in a sort of mini-zhian'tara. This episode is, in fact, full of such conceits. The technology that allows the killer and Ezri to look through walls looks really cool, but will never be seen again. Even the idea of a psychotic Vulcan, or the pop psychology applied to determine he's the killer, strains credulity.
But there are some nice directorial flourishes here (the nightmare sequence, skipping from room to room), and a really tense moment when Ezri's eyes cross with the killer's. Hector Ilario, the genial helmsman, would have made a fun and likeable addition to the Defiant's bridge crew (so he makes the right impression before he's sent off), and I have to admit Ezri means business in Field of Fire like never before. Channeling her inner Joran reasonably well.
Oh yeah, and continuity watchers might want to note Worf's return to the show. He hasn't appeared (except as the Regent, which doesn't count) since Nog walked into Vic's. So that's where you can place Insurrection in his timeline.
LESSON: Don't try to make a Vulcan smile.
REWATCHABILITY - Medium: Between the new tech and new interpretation of Joran, Field of Fire is an easily dismissable episode, but it does look cool and has a good part for Ezri. Can we get back to the war now?
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