Tag: Leadership

“The Godfather” (1972) starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton, & Robert Duvall

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Don Corleone: …a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.

The Godfather is “Don” Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando- age 47), the head of the Corleone mafia family in New York. Brando wanted to make his character “look like a bulldog,” so he stuffed his cheeks w/ cotton for his audition. For the filming, he wore a mouthpiece made by a dentist. On the day of his daughter Connie’s (Talia Shire) wedding, he is meeting w/ several members of his (Italian-American) community on his estate on Staten Island. There is a saying that the Don’s adopted son/lawyer, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall- age 40 and wearing a bad hairpiece), says: “no Sicilian can refuse a favor at his daughter’s wedding day.” Michael (Al Pacino- not yet famous at age 31), the Don’s youngest son/decorated WWII Marine, is also present w/ his blonde/WASP girlfriend, Kay Adams (Diane Keaton- only 25). Pacino and Keaton started dating during filming and were a couple for 5 years. Michael seems thoughtful and introverted, as well as uninterested in the family business. Don Corleone is an influential man w/ connections to businessmen, politicians, judges, and celebs. He can be kind/generous to those who give him respect, but ruthless against those who don’t. When a dangerous rival wants to sell drugs, and needs the Don’s agreement, he says no way! His oldest son Sonny (James Caan) seems to disagree. What follows is a clash between the Don’s “old-school” values and the ways of the new generation.

Don Corleone [to Sollozzo]: I said that I would see you because I had heard that you were a serious man, to be treated with respect. But I must say no to you and let me give you my reasons. It’s true I have a lot of friends in politics, but they wouldn’t be so friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they consider a harmless vice. But drugs, that’s a dirty business.

I saw some scenes (over the years) of this iconic movie; however, I don’t recall seeing it fully until this past week! Director Francis Ford Coppola (only 33) had received some notice for one earlier movie; he was young and untested like much of the cast. He wasn’t enthusiastic about making this movie (at first); he thought the book by Mario Puzo was too sensational. I learned that he feared being fired by the studio for the first 2 weeks of filming! The unique (dark) lighting chosen by cinematographer Gordon Willis also made the execs worried, until they were convinced that this showed the shady ways of the Corleones. Willis earned the nickname “The Prince of Darkness” w/ the choices that he used; it turned out well (of course). Brando (due to heavy prosthetic makeup) is usually lit from above. Michael is brightly-lit in the first act of the film (before the Don is shot). Then the lighting scheme changes; we see half of his face in shadow. Once he has transitioned to the head of the family, dark shadows appear over his eyes. Caan (playing a loud/hot-headed man) is usually more well-lit than Duvall (who is calm, soft-spoken and tactful in his speech). Did you know that Caan improvised the part where Sonny throws the FBI photographer’s camera to the ground? Kay’s face usually looks bright; Keaton was lit from the side. However, I wasn’t a fan of the wigs (or hairdos) they chose for Kay. She is dressed in shades of red for most of the movie (a red/white spotted dress at the wedding, a maroon dress at the hotel dinner, and a bright red hat and coat when she goes to the estate).

Michael: My father is no different than any powerful man, any man with power, like a president or senator.

Kay: Do you know how naive you sound, Michael? Presidents and senators don’t have men killed.

Michael: Oh. Who’s being naive, Kay?

There is much to admire here, but the most important thing is that we really care for these characters and go on a fascinating journey. As Roger Ebert commented (after the 25th anniversary): “In this closed world, The Godfather is the good guy. He is the hero that we root for.” I was esp. impressed by Brando when the Don becomes injured/weak; as for the tough-guy moments (we know he can do those well). Pacino (youthful/handsome) gives a nuanced performance (which may be a surprise to younger viewers); it’s almost all in the eyes (as we find w/ the finest of screen actors). We don’t see the angry/volatile side of Pacino (Coppola’s first choice for the role) until the final act when he yells at Kay. I learned that the studios wanted Robert Redford or Ryan O’Neill for the role of Michael- LOL! Martin Sheen (w/ long hair and a mustache) auditioned for the role also; you can see some clips of screen tests on YouTube. All the supporting cast (incl. those who came from open calls, such as Abe Vigoda) suit their roles well. Look out for two veterans from the Golden Age of Hollywood- Richard Conte (the smooth-talking Don Barzini) and Sterling Hayden (the racist/crooked cop- Chief McCluskey). Both Conte and Hayden are in fine shape; they were known for noir films (I got into this genre over quarantine life). Fredo (John Cazale) doesn’t have a big role here, but I learned that he will feature more in The Godfather: Part II. He received much acclaim (from his peers and critics), died rather young, and was engaged to Meryl Streep.

This movie appeals to many people across the decades all around the world. One critic said: “It’s a simple story about a king and his three sons.” I’m sure it was rare to see a well-developed story of immigrants and first-gen Americans (w/ dark hair and olive/tan skin tones), even in the early 1970s. Having a Italian-American director must’ve been a great asset; it was Coppola’s idea to incorporate a real Italian-speaking wedding band, non-actors (incl. members of his own family), scenes which reflect everyday life (w/ kids running around, cooking, domestic disputes, etc.) There is the gorgeous/romantic sequence shot in Sicily where (some critics say) Michael finds true love (Appolonia) and happiness for the first time. When I saw the chaste courtship scenes between Michael and Appolonia (and her extended family) , I was reminded of the stories of my own family (parents, aunties, and uncles) who grew up in Bangladesh. This is a must-see film you can’t refuse!

“Citizen Kane” (1941) starring/directed by Orson Welles

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Radio’s Most Dynamic Artist . . The Man At Whose Voice A Nation Trembled . . . Now the screen’s most exciting NEW star! ORSON WELLES in the picture Hollywood said he’d never make! – A tag line from the film

Following the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles- just 26 y.o.), reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final word: “Rosebud.” The film begins with a news reel (which comes directly from RKO Pictures) detailing Kane’s life for the masses. Then, we see flashbacks from Kane’s life- his simple boyhood, life as an idealistic young newspaper publisher, attempt at politics in mid-life, and two (failed) marriages. As the reporters investigate more, we see a man’s rise to fame and fall from the top of his world. Kane (who died alone surrounded by statues and other treasures from all over the world) is based on media tycoon William Randolph Hearst.

Kane [in old age]: You know, Mr. Thatcher, if I hadn’t been very rich, I might have been a really great man.

Young Charles Foster Kane (8 y.o.) comes into a LOT of money; his mother/owner of a boarding house, Mary (Agnes Moorehead), decides he should be sent away from Colorado to the East. He will be raised by his new guardian, a humorless banker named Mr. Walter Parks Thatcher (George Coulouris). Charles’ father (Harry Shannon) is reluctant to give up his son; though he’s an alcoholic w/ potential for violence, the boy seems to love him. When Mary is signing away the boy, there is the (then innovative) use of the “deep focus lens.” While the mother acts cold (calling him “Charles), his father takes a warmer tone (calling him “Charlie”). Upon reaching 25, Kane (handsome/energetic) comes into ALL his inheritance; he impulsively buys a newspaper (The New York Inquirer) against the wishes of Thatcher. His closest pal Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten) becomes the theater critic; being from “old money,” Jed can scoff at high society. Kane’s general manager, Mr. Bernstein (Everett Sloane), is loyal/helpful until the end. When Kane writes up his “declaration of principles,” his face is almost obscured in shadow; this is a hint of things to come. Jed looks almost directly at the camera, saying that paper will be worth something one day.

Mr. Bernstein: Old age. It’s the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don’t look forward to being cured of.

Kane’s first wife, Emily Monroe Norton (Ruth Warrick), is the sophisticated niece of the president; they meet (offscreen) in Europe and have a whirlwind romance. Emily starts to resent the long hours Kane spends at the newspaper; their politics are also different. In a series of clever/concise scenes at the breakfast table, we see the deterioration of their relationship (from flirty/loving to silent/cold). One night, outside a pharmacy, Kane meets a 22 y.o. aspiring opera singer- Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore). It turns out that he can maker her laugh; Susan also doesn’t know who Kane is (being a naive girl new to the city). After Kane enters politics, his affair w/ Susan is uncovered by a private detective working for his rival. When given the choice between Emily (who was loyal to him for 15 yrs) and Susan, Kane chooses Susan (thus loses his political career).

Kane: Mr. Carter, here’s a three-column headline in the Chronicle. Why hasn’t the Inquirer a three-column headline?

Carter: The news wasn’t big enough.

Kane: Mr. Carter, if the headline is big enough, it makes the news big enough.

Mr. Bernstein: That’s right, Mr. Kane.

They get married and he even builds an opera house where Susan can perform; it turns out she’s a terrible singer (no matter how hard she practices). Kane and Jed have a falling out; Jed is drunk and gives his true opinion re: Susan’s “talent.” Their break-up scene where we are looking up at the characters was achieved by Greg Toland (cinematographer) cutting holes in the floor of the studio. Later on, there is break-up w/ Susan, after she gets tired of living a lonely/unfulfilled life in his huge California estate Xanadu (named for the “pleasure palace of Kubla Khan” in the poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge).

Jed [to Kane]: You don’t care about anything except you. You just want to persuade people that you love ’em so much that they ought to love you back. Only you want love on your own terms. Something to be played your way, according to your rules.

Once you see this film (or rewatch it a few times), you realize how influential it was to later films! It is very well made and ahead of it’s time, as I realized seeing it recently. Watching this film on TV, a young Scorsese began to notice editing techniques and camera moves (incl. the use of the “wide angle lens”). In previous American films, the camera didn’t move, Scorsese noted. As NYT film critic A.O. Scott commented: “Most of the scenes are shot a low angle, so we feel as if we’re sitting in an orchestra seat watching a play. It is also un-mistakenly cinematic… deep focus asymmetrical compositions and bold contrasts in light and shadow to get at themes not explicitly stated in the film’s script. Welles slows time down w/ subjective dream-like sequences and speeds it up w/ witty and inspired montages.”

[Susan is leaving Kane]

Kane: [pleading] Don’t go, Susan. You mustn’t go. You can’t do this to me.

Susan: I see. So it’s YOU who this is being done to. It’s not me at all. Not how I feel. Not what it means to me. [laughs] I can’t do this to you? [odd smile] Oh, yes I can.

Is this the best film ever made? I don’t think so, but it’s worth a watch for cinephiles. Citizen Kane is essentially a character study of a man who is rich, powerful, yet probably feels inadequate inside (as he can’t connect to other people). Love is something that Kane wanted all his life, both Jed and Bernstein tell the reporter. Most the the actors are newcomers from The Mercury Theater, Welles’ theater company. Cotten went on to have a fine career; he said he was proud to have appeared in several box office hits. He is perhaps best known as Uncle Charlie in Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt. Sloane makes a terrific villain in Welles’ film noir The Lady from Shanghai.

Mississippi Burning (1988) starring Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, & Frances McDormand

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1964. When America was at war with itself. – Tag line

Mississippi Burning was very controversial when first released; in this time (after the Trump administration), it resonates stronger than ever. Some younger readers may never have heard of this film; it is fiction, but based on a real case (labeled “Mississippi Burning” by the FBI). The film is inspired by the 1964 murder by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) of three Congress of Racial Equity (CORE) field workers who were registering Black voters in Mississippi: a Black man named James Chaney (age 21) and two white (Jewish) men- Michael Schwerner (age 20) and Andrew Goodman (age 24). Some critics felt that many facts were altered or left out. There is much to admire re: this movie, though to our modern eyes, the lack of a fully-fleshed out Black character may be problematic. Director Spike Lee didn’t like it; he felt the preacher’s son (Aaron) was a “magical Negro” trope. On the other hand, this was Roger Ebert’s choice for the best film of 1988. You know it made a big impact (overseas), b/c it was (unofficially) remade into a Bollywood film, Aakrosh (2010).

Mayor Tilman: You like baseball, do you, Anderson?

Anderson: Yeah, I do. You know, it’s the only time when a black man can wave a stick at a white man and not start a riot.

When you think about it, 1964 is NOT too far back in time from 1988. Barry Norman (BBC film critic) described the (harrowing) opening of the film as “pure cinema, something no other medium could do so effectively.” Then we shift to the (much lighter) scene w/ the main characters- FBI agents Mr. Anderson (Gene Hackman) and Mr. Ward (Willem Dafoe- just 32). Don Johnson campaigned heavily for the role that went to Dafoe- LOL! Anderson (older/rumpled) studies some papers from a folder and sings a KKK song; Ward (younger/crisply-suited) isn’t amused. Anderson is making fun of the KKK, but Ward says: “I could do w/o the cabaret.” Anderson is a former small-town sheriff; Ward is a former DOJ attorney (“a Kennedy boy,” as Anderson comments). These men don’t know each other well and are mismatched, the viewer knows right away.

When they reach the small town, the agents are met w/ long/angry stares and outright hostility from the locals. Ward makes a (Northern/liberal) mistake; he goes to sit at the “Colored” section of the busy diner (NOT heeding the warning from Anderson, who knows the South). The young Black man sitting beside him becomes nervous and refuses to answer Ward’s questions; all eyes are on them. In the sheriff’s office, they first meet Deputy Pell (Brad Dourif), who isn’t too welcoming. Dourif makes some interesting choices w/ his role; he doesn’t always play it tough (we see that Pell is being influenced by more stronger personalities). Suddenly, Sheriff Stuckey (Gailard Sartain) pops out of his office, and starts breezily chatting w/ Anderson. Ward corrects him after Stuckey (the epitome of a fat, uncaring, racist cop) assumes Anderson is in charge of the investigation. In the barbershop, Anderson meets Mayor Tilman (R. Lee Ermey), who is more casually racist. In the motel lodge (later that night), we see the agents drinking and sharing stories. Anderson (matter-of-factly/softly) reveals something about his childhood growing up in the South.

Anderson: Where does it come from? All this hatred?

Anderson: You know, when I was a little boy, there was an old Negro farmer that lived down the road from us, name of Monroe. And he was… well, I guess he was just a little luckier than my daddy was. He bought himself a mule. That was a big deal around that town. My daddy hated that mule, ’cause his friends were always kidding him that they saw Monroe out plowing with his new mule, and Monroe was going to rent another field now he had a mule. One morning, that mule showed up dead. They poisoned the water. After that, there wasn’t any mention about that mule around my daddy. It just never came up. One time, we were driving down that road, and we passed Monroe’s place and we saw it was empty. He just packed up and left, I guess, he must of went up North or something. I looked over at my daddy’s face. I knew he done it. He saw that I knew. He was ashamed. I guess he was ashamed. He looked at me and said, “If you ain’t better than a n****r, son, who are you better than?”

Ward: You think that’s an excuse?

Anderson: No it’s not an excuse. It’s just a story about my daddy.

Ward: Where’s that leave you?

Anderson: My old man was just so full of hate that he didn’t know that bein’ poor was what was killin’ him.

A shotgun fires from a screeching car into the motel room! Ward decides that more agents are needed ASAP. The young Black man from the diner is picked up my some (hooded) men, beaten, and imprisoned in a large chicken coop in a field of cotton. (FYI: Since this wasn’t the season for cotton, the crew had to decorate the field w/ bits of cotton.) Then we see the same Black man pushed out of a car in the center of town- sending an (obvious) message to the FBI. The local cops and a group of (suited) FBI agents run to check on the injured man; Stuckey declares that his men will handle the matter. Agents have set up their HQ in the movie theater. Later we see them (along w/ buses of fresh-faced sailors) drag a swamp (a real one w/ mud, bugs, and possible alligators) for dead bodies.

…I didn’t do research. All I did was listen to [Hackman]. He had an amazing capacity for not giving away any part of himself (in read-throughs). But the minute we got on the set, little blinds on his eyes flipped up and everything was available. It was mesmerizing. He’s really believable, and it was like a basic acting lesson. -Frances McDormand

Now this isn’t just a typical “macho” movie; at the heart of it is the wife of the deputy- Mrs. Pell (a young Frances McDormand)- who also runs a hair salon (Gilly’s). Anderson first drops in at the salon, making self-deprecating comments about his hair (w/ its receding hairline). This amuses some of the ladies; Mrs. Pell bluntly points out that the FBI wouldn’t be around if the white men weren’t missing (along w/ Chaney). Later, when Ward and Anderson drop by the Pell’s humble home, we see the (not so pleasant) dynamic between the couple. While Ward interviews her husband, Anderson goes to the kitchen and strikes up a convo w/ Mrs. Pell (in a humble manner, using folksy charm). Later that night, we learn more about both characters when Anderson comes by w/ some wildflowers. We see the romantic chemistry growing between Anderson and Mrs. Pell, despite their ages and the situation. She has to lie to cover for her husband; Anderson realizes that she is lying (and they both look disappointed about it). Before he leaves, he gently touches her hair (a bold, yet vulnerable move). In a previous scene, Anderson had made “a power move” on Deputy Pell; he is working late (or maybe getting into some violence w/ his KKK pals).

Mrs. Pell: It’s ugly. This whole thing is so ugly. Have you any idea what it’s like to live with all this? People look at us and only see bigots and racists. Hatred isn’t something you’re born with. It gets taught. At school, they said segregation what’s said in the Bible… Genesis 9, Verse 27. At 7 years of age, you get told it enough times, you believe it. You believe the hatred. You live it… you breathe it. You marry it.

After being hired by Orion Pictures, Parker made several changes from screenwriter Chris Gerolmo’s original draft (which was “a big/violent detective story”). Parker omitted a Mafia hitman and created Agent Monk. The scene in which Frank Bailey brutally beats a news cameraman was based on an actual event. Parker also wrote a sex scene involving Anderson and Mrs. Pell. The scene was omitted (after Hackman suggested to Parker that the relationship between the two characters be more discreet). Though some close-ups were shot, in the final film, the kiss between Hackman and McDormand is in shadow (at a respectful distance). The music (composed by Trevor Jones) is a very crucial part of this movie; it creates a tense (thriller-like) atmosphere in many scenes. In several key scenes, there is the gospel element. The movie was shot in Alabama and Mississippi, so there is authenticity. We see the old buildings, dust, poverty, rural lands, and (above all) local people (some of whom may had sympathies to the Klan). There are many character actors who add flavor to the story: Kevin Dunn (a young/eager FBI agent coordinating the case), Stephen Tobolowsky (a prominent businessman/KKK leader), Michael Rooker (the unapologetic tough guy/KKK member-Frank Bailey), a teen Darius McCrary (Aaron), Frankie Faison (a respected preacher/Aaron’s father), and Badja Djola (the Black FBI interrogator- Agent Monk). Ward (who is no pushover, despite his by-the-book approach) and Anderson (smarter than he looks) come to respect each other, but it happens slowly; they don’t become “buddy cops.”

Movies Under the Sea: “The Hunt for Red October” (1990) & “Crimson Tide” (1995)

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The Hunt for Red October (1990)

In November 1984, at the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union creates a new nuclear submarine that runs silent due to a revolutionary propulsion system. The Russian submarine Captain, Marko Ramius (Sir Sean Connery), defects. His goal is taking it to the U.S. to prevent the Russians from using it to start nuclear war against the U.S. -Summary

Listen, I’m a politician which means I’m a cheat and a liar, and when I’m not kissing babies I’m stealing their lollipops. But it also means I keep my options open. -Jeffrey Pelt

Filming started in 1989, w/ the Cold War still going on, but was released in 1990 when the Soviet government announced that the Communist Party was no longer in charge. Producers went on with the release, but using a disclaimer that the story takes place in 1984 (when Tom Clancy’s novel was published). This is the movie debut of Jack Ryan, a CIA analyst who uses his brains (he writes books re: miliary history/speaks Russian) more than his brawn (though he holds the rank of Lt. Cmdr. in the Navy/graduated as a Marine). He is no pushover; Ryan speaks up for himself when it’s needed and doesn’t let others intimidate him. Alec Baldwin accepted the role of Jack Ryan (recently played by John Krasinski in the Amazon Prime series) b/c Harrison Ford turned it down. Kevin Costner turned down the role of Jack Ryan in order to make Dances with Wolves (1990). Director John McTiernan previously worked on Die Hard (1988); the same oversized teddy bear is in this movie. This movie starts out in Russian, then switches to English, as the political officer reads a passage from a book.

I miss the peace of fishing like when I was a boy. Forty years I’ve been at sea. A war at sea. A war with no battles, no monuments… only casualties. I widowed her the day I married her. My wife died while I was at sea, you know. -Capt. Ramius

Before filming, Sir Sean Connery spent time underway aboard the U.S.S. Puffer preparing for his role (Capt. Marko Ramius). He was given Commander status, and allowed to give commands while underway (w/ the Captain beside him). During filming, several actors portraying U.S.S. Dallas crewmen took a cruise off the coast of San Diego on the U.S.S. Salt Lake City a Los Angeles-class submarine. Cmdr. Thomas Fargo ordered his crew to treat actor Scott Glenn (Cmdr. Bart Mancuso) as equal rank, first giving reports to him, then give the same report to Glenn. The actor said he based his performance on Fargo: “whatever good happened in the performance, basically I owe to now Admiral Fargo, thank you sir.” Connery was in the Royal Navy before becoming an actor; Glenn spent 3 yrs. in the Marines.

[to himself, just before being lowered off a helicopter] Next time, Jack, write a goddamn memo. -Jack Ryan

[To himself, imitating Ramius] “Ryan, some things in here don’t react well to bullets.” Yeah, like me. I don’t react well to bullets. -Jack Ryan

Star Trek: TNG fans will will notice that Ryan’s wife Cathy is played (in one scene only) by Gates McFadden (best known as Dr. Beverly Crusher). After she rejoined TNG, Anne Archer took over the role; Cathy lost the English accent (which McFadden had used). James Earl Jones (Adm. James Greer) was the only actor to reprise his role in Patriot Games (1992) and Clear and Present Danger (1994) where Ford takes over as Ryan. Jones also served in the Army as a young man. Fred Thompson (Adm. Painter) and Courtney B. Vance (Seaman Jones- another brainy guy) would go on to be part of the Law & Order franchise. The international cast includes Aussie Sam Neill (Capt. Borodin), Brit Peter Firth (Cmdr. Putin), Brit Tim Curry (Dr. Petrov), and Swede Stellan Skarsgard (Capt. Tupolev).

[1] It took a concept that is inconceivable to most people (living in a boat underwater with people trying to blow you up) and brought it up close and personal. The resulting suspense and excitement for this type of film is always extremely entertaining and this film delivers nicely.

[2] High tension and realistic (emphasis on that last word) depictions of modern warfare make for an excellent story.

[3] Baldwin, in what is and will probably be his career best role ever, shines as the intelligent and patriotic Jack Ryan, a thinking man’s hero. Connery lends incredible presence, as usual, to his interpretation of Ramius.

[4] The movie’s chief strengths are its moody lighting, its unrelenting pace, and especially its deep bench of acting talent. Connery suggests a note of uncertainty to Ramius that keeps the audience on its toes. For the longest time, we don’t know what he’s up to. Baldwin plays Ryan in a very realistic way that establishes his basically gentle, bookish nature but underscores the depths of his heroism as he pursues an increasingly dangerous path no one else believes in. Scott Glenn is terrific as a crusty U.S. sub commander…

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

Crimson Tide (1995)

In the face of the ultimate nuclear showdown, one man has absolute power and one man will do anything to stop him.

-Tag line

When some Russian rebels take control of some ICBM’s, the Americans prep for battle. Among the vessels sent is the nuclear sub, USS Alabama. They have a new X.O. (second in command) in Cmdr. Hunter (Denzel Washington), who hasn’t seen much action. Capt. Ramsey (Gene Hackman) gives an order for a drill after a dangerous incident (fire in the galley) and Hunter disagrees w/ how Ramsey handled it. It’s obvious that Ramsey doesn’t think much of Hunter b/c Hunter is college-educated; Ramsey worked his way up. They’re given orders to attack, but when in the process of receiving another order, the ship’s communications are damaged (cutting off the full message). Ramsey decides to continue with their previous order, while Hunter wants to reestablish contact first. That’s when the two men’s philosophies of war collide… and the tension rises!

This is probably my fave action movie, though this isn’t a familiar genre for me. There is much to admire- the directing (by Tony Scott), acting, intensity, music, and a few moments of humor (provided by Quentin Tarantino- who punched up the script). Washington solidifies his star status by having equal billing w/ Hackman, as we see in the posters. Tension between them grows b/c of their differing ages, races, personalities and philosophies on war. The cast includes Viggo Mortensen (Weps- Hunter’s close pal), James Gandolfini (Dougherty), George Dzundza (Cob), Danny Nucci (Rivetti), Steve Zahn (Barnes), former child star Ricky Shroeder (Hellerman), and a very young Ryan Phillippe.

The early scenes do much to set up the main conflict of the film. For example when members of the crew discuss Carl Von Clausewitz, and his 1832 work Vom Kriege (“On War”), the intellectual showdown occurs between Ramsey and Hunter. This scene not only heightens the tension, but also reveals the different philosophies of these two men, what they believe in, why they are there. This short scene goes a long way to setting up why each of these characters are so unbending when the crisis presents itself.

Crimson Tide possesses one of the most intense moments in film: two great actors eye-to-eye, portraying characters absolutely certain of their actions, absolutely convinced that the other’s course will lead to disaster. Washington believes, with good reason, that Hackman is unfit to command because he is disregarding naval procedures. Hackman believes, with good reason, that Washington is disobeying an order and instigating a mutiny. A possible nuclear exchange and the deaths of billions hang in the balance.

The cast – all of them – are spectacular, and the directing is masterful. […] More than just a cautionary tale, this is a very human drama about who people become under extreme conditions, and how they work out problems to reach solutions, or fail to do so. If that final sentence sounds cryptic, then let it entice you to see the film so you can figure out what I mean for yourself.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

“Star Trek: Voyager” (Season 6)

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Introduction

Long-time fans consider S6 to be one of the strongest of the series, along w/ S5. We get to see TNG characters- Barclay and Troi. I didn’t think the Borg children (aside from Echeb) were developed well; I wasn’t impressed w/ any the eps focused of these kids. It seems like the producers/writers just didn’t know what to do w/ them. As I’ve noted before, Trek doesn’t usually do very well w/ romance or children (aside from a few exceptions). The season finale is lackluster (if I’m being nice). As we’ve seen before, new aliens are introduced who could’ve been interesting villains (but then are never seen again). I liked the eps where the show makes fun of itself; VOY should’ve leaned on comedy more (as Robert Duncan McNeill commented on The Delta Flyers podcast). Oh and who could forget the famous fight (re: creative vision) between Brannon Braga and Ronald D. Moore!?

Season 6: Selected Episodes

Episode 1: Equinox, Part II

Cmdr. Chakotay: I don’t blame you for being angry, but you can’t compromise the safety of this ship to satisfy some personal vendetta.

Capt. Janeway: I appreciate your candor. Now let me be just as blunt: you’re right, I am angry. I’m damned angry. He’s a Starfleet captain, and he’s decided to abandon everything this uniform stands for. He’s out there right now, torturing and murdering innocent life forms just to get home a little quicker. I’m not gonna stand for it. I’m going to hunt him down, no matter how long it takes, no matter what the cost. If you wanna call that a vendetta, go right ahead.

Temporarily shielded from alien attack, Capt. Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) orders that their first priority is to find the Equinox, arrest Capt. Rudy Ransom (John Savage) and recover Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). Cmdr. Chakotay (Robert Beltran) disagrees, but goes along w/ her plan. Janeway’s obsession to stop Ransom has been compared by long-time fans and critics to Capt. Picard’s obsession to stop the Borg in the TNG movie- First Contact. Janeway’s arguments w/ Chakotay really made me take notice; it’s been a while since a memorable interaction between them (as captain and first officer facing a problem).

The action and directing (by David Livingston) keeps things at a good pace. As many viewers thought, it’s a bit troubling to see Federation starships firing at each other. After the Voyager crew captures two of Ransom’s away team on a planet, Janeway brings Crewman Noah Lessing (Rick Worthy) into a cargo bay for questioning. She wants to know Ransom’s tactical status; he refuses to talk. Janeway threatens to lower the shields and turn the aliens loose on Lessing. Chakotay stands by for a while, thinking that she’s bluffing. Nope- she has become scary (no joke)!

“What’s happened to you, Kathryn?” Chakotay asks at one point. I wanted to ask the same question. I haven’t seen this Janeway before. She doesn’t answer to anyone. With no Starfleet watching over her shoulder, how could she be stopped if she continued down such a dangerous path?

…although Janeway pushes the envelope of her authority oh-so-far (as do the writers, really), there’s an awareness buried somewhere beneath Janeway’s madness- she simply wants what’s just. Unfortunately, the price is too high and she almost completely loses Chakotay’s confidence in the process.

-Jammer’s Reviews

The Equinox EMH (posing as The Doctor) keeps in contact w/ Ransom. The Doctor (Robert Picardo), on-board the Equinox w/ his ethical subroutines disabled, begins surgery on Seven to will extract info (which will destroy her brain). Ransom doesn’t want to do it, but says he has “no choice.” He already devalued the lives of aliens, but can he let a fellow human die?

Janeway finds the Ankari (the alien race that can summon their “Spirits of Good Fortune”), makes contact w/ the spirit-aliens, and agrees to turn over Equinox in exchange for her ship’s safety. (Sadly, the CGI used on these creatures has not aged well.) Tuvok objects, saying it will mean certain death for the Equinox crew. Janeway coldly replies: “I’ve already confined my first officer to quarters. Would you like to join him?” Wow, I was not expecting that!

Ransom decides to surrender to Janeway, but Lt. Maxwell Burke (Titus Welliver) stages a mutiny. In Part I, Burke had some interesting scenes with Lt. B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) which made him seem like a 3-dimensional character. Here, he just serves the plot and comes off as a sociopath. Burke and a few others are killed by aliens while trying to reach the shuttle bay. Ransom is killed when ship (heavily damaged by spirit-aliens) explodes. Five of his crew are brought aboard Voyager (incl. Lessing and Ensign Marla Gilmore- she helped Ransom after the mutiny). They’re stripped of rank and will get limited privileges, until they can prove themselves to their new captain/crew.

This was the first ep on which writer Ronald D. Moore worked, having transferred to the writers’ room after the end of DS9. He’d later rework this concept into Battlestar Galactica: Pegasus. While working on this ep, Moore had asked: “Is Janeway going to be captain forever, like a dictator? They should’ve put Janeway on trial.” The producers, incl. his friend/showrunner Brannon Braga, didn’t want to explore this issue. That’s why we get the reset button, not character continuity (as Moore wanted). The final scene on the bridge shows us that Janeway regrets how far she crossed the line. She admits quietly to Chakotay that he might’ve had good reason for his own mutiny. There is some nice symbolism of the fallen plaque; Janeway almost “fell down” herself in this story.

[1] In a way, “Equinox” is a comment on the entire series of Voyager itself. UPN and Paramount chose NOT to have Voyager become this “Lord of the Flies” in space. They chose NOT to make Voyager believe their own premise. Equinox is kind of like the Voyager that could have been…

[2] …if you remove the Doctor’s “ethical sub routines” surely he still retains friendships, loyalties and so on. Look at Equinox’s Doctor he stays loyal to his crew to the end. All too simple.

[3] I caught Janeway and Chakotay’s bust-up in the briefing room… It’s a great scene, and yet it signifies everything that was wrong with Voyager.[…] At the end of the episode, it’s all forgotten. Janeway offers no apology, and Chakotay doesn’t show even a small amount of resentment. Something that could have divided them for a few episodes, maybe even the entire season, was quickly glossed over.

-Comments posted on Jammer’s Reviews

Episode 2: Survival Instinct

Janeway: [reading the morning’s Security report] Hmm, some of these incidents ARE a little more serious, but on balance, I still think we did the right thing.

Tuvok: There is a third page.

Chakotay: Come on, Tuvok. After all the xenophobic races we’ve run into, don’t you find it just a little refreshing to meet some people who value openness and freedom?

Voyager docks at a space outpost with a variety of Delta Quadrant species. Eager for cultural exchange and friendly interactions, Janeway grants leave to the crew and the rolls out the welcome mat for visitors. Despite a few minor incidents, all seems to go well, until an alien approaches Seven holding Borg synaptic relays from her original unimatrix. Seeing them overwhelms Seven w/ images and memories of when she was last in contact with these items. This is the first of two eps written by TNG/DS9 writer by Moore.

Marika: I can’t wait to use my real name again.

Seven: There is nothing preventing you from doing so.

Lansor: Except that most of the time, I don’t know whether my name is Marika, P’Chan or Lansor. The names, the memories…

P’Chan: …the memories, even the thoughts flow from one to the other.

Marika: I can’t love or hate, or laugh…

Marika, Lansor: …or cry without sharing it with them.

This ep is like a breath of fresh air- we see dozens of new aliens/costumes, three guest stars, and learn how assimilation (a traumatic violation) has affected them as individuals. The alien who brings the suitcase of Borg attachments is one of the MVPs of Trek- Vaughn Armstrong. The Bajoran woman, Marika Willkarah (Bertila Damas), served on the USS Excalibur– the ship was commanded by Riker in TNG: Redemption II (written by Moore). The youngest of this group, P’Chan (Tim Kelleher), is soft-spoken man who used to be caregiver for parents. In flashback scenes, we see Seven and these three Borg when they were separated (temporarily) from the Collective. While these Borg reflected on their previous lives, Seven got scared and told them to stop, as they were all Borg now. These three aliens (unlike Seven) were assimilated as adults.

Episode 4: Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy

[The Doctor has filed a formal grievance, along w/ a request to be made captain in the event of a catastrophic emergency]

Janeway: I don’t want anybody to be uncomfortable on this ship. I guess we should all try to be a little more considerate of his feelings.

Tom: Captain, he does it to himself. He’s Chief Medical Officer. Is it our fault that’s not enough for him?

The Doctor’s experiment with daydreaming gets out of control when an alien race compromises his program. The aliens consult their command (The Hierarchy) before attacking any passing ships. One of the aliens, mistaking the daydreams for reality, gets permission to attack. Upon realizing his mistake, he offers to help Voyager, but only if The Doctor is in command. 

The Doctor [in one of his daydreams]: Thank you for this opportunity, Captain. All I’ve ever wanted was to live up to my full potential, to hone all my skills, expand my abilities, to help the people I love.

This is just a funny/highly-rated ep w/ a core of seriousness (The Doctor, who is a hologram, wants more responsibility on the ship). Picardo gets to wear the command uniform (red color) and gets four pips on his collar. The Doctor can wow the crew w/ his singing and also save a life. All the women in the main cast are interested in him- LOL! We see a homage to a scene in Titanic (the hit movie that came out a year before) where The Doctor is painting Seven. This ep was written by Trek veteran Joe Menosky.

Episode 7: Dragon’s Teeth

Chakotay: [on seeing the hundreds of stasis pods of the Vaadwaur] Dragon’s teeth.

Janeway: “Dragon’s teeth?”

Chakotay: An old Greek myth. After a dragon was killed in a war, its teeth were spread out over the battlefield. They took root, and warriors sprung from the ground to continue the fighting.

Voyager is pushed into a sub-space corridor by the Turei (a xenophobic alien race), who claim ownership of this part of space. After refusing to allow the wiping of data re: the corridors, the ship lands on a nearby planet. Here (almost 900 yrs ago) the Vaadwaur (another alien race) sought shelter from a nuclear war by going into stasis pods, intent on waking up 5 yrs later. This ep may remind viewers of the premise of TOS: Space Seed; it was written by Michael Taylor.

Gedrin: I’m curious. Have you heard of us, the Vaadwaur?

Neelix: Um, I’m afraid there aren’t many records from that period, but “vaadwaur” is a word in the Old Tongue; it means, uh… “foolish.”

I thought the Vaadwaur makeup was unique/intricate; the costumes looked futuristic (but not in a hokey way). Seven wakes Gedrin (Jeff Allin), but his wife (sadly) lies dead in her pod. Gedrin seems like a good guy (but we can’t be sure); he says that his people traded and traveled great distances. Soon, more of the Vaadwaur wake up, incl. a warrior named Gaul (Robert Knepper); he was seen in TNG: Haven as the doctor who almost had an arranged marriage w/ Troi. The Vaadwaur claim they are the true owners of the corridors which they used for trade; the Turei attacked them so they could gain control.

Gedrin: You are not at all like the Borg I knew.

Seven: As a drone, I helped assimilate many civilizations. Now I have the opportunity to help reconstruct one. I find the experience… gratifying.

Neelix (in an useful role) remembers that the Vaadwaur were mentioned in ancient Talaxian legends; he does some computer searching and discovers that they were a race to be feared. These legends also match information Seven finds in the Borg database. Janeway has to decide which of the two aliens represent the greater threat, if the crew are to get off the planet. The Prime Directive is ignored and not even mentioned at any point. Some noted that the action scenes don’t make sense (but I’m not an expert in that area of Trek).

Episode 8: One Small Step

Janeway: As a Borg, you didn’t study the past- you ingested it. You’ve never really developed an appreciation for humanity’s history. Maybe this is an opportunity for you to do some exploring of your own.

Seven of Nine: Are you ordering me to join this mission?

Janeway: Let’s just say, I’m encouraging you to volunteer.

Voyager encounters a graviton ellipse, a phenomenon that emerges from subspace on rare occasions. The anomaly engulfed a vessel during a Mars mission in 2032; Chakotay is determined to retrieve the debris. Chakotay, Paris, and Seven take the Delta Flyer in, but when an asteroid strikes, Chakotay (obsessed with retrieving the module) disobeys Janeway’s order to leave. The Flyer is flightless as the ellipse prepares to return to subspace. This ep was written by four different people, incl. Bryan Fuller and Michael Taylor.

The Doctor reminisces about Arrakis Prime; Arrakis is the spice planet from Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. Buck Bokai, mentioned in one of the baseball discussions, is the fictitious baseball player best known in DS9. Guest star Phil Morris (who plays astronaut John Kelly) has literally grown up with Star Trek, and has played several supporting roles throughout his life, including one of the children in TOS: Miri, a Starfleet cadet in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, a Klingon bodyguard in DS9: Looking for par’Mach in All the Wrong Places, and a Jem’Hadar soldier in  Rocks and Shoals. Beltran stated in an interview (on his website) that he was looking forward to filming this ep, as it provided a rare development of Chakotay’s character. His excitement turned frustration when the majority of the ep was given over to Seven’s character development.

Janeway: Space. Literally it means ‘nothing’ – a vacuum between stars and planets. But by the same token, it means everything. It’s what connects all our worlds – Vulcan, Qo’noS, Talax, Earth. Centuries ago, mankind sent its first wave of explorers into that void – astronauts like Mr. Kelly. They paved the way for the first colonies, the first starships, for those of us who’ve made space our home. We commend the spirit and the bravery of Lt. John Mark Kelly, as we commit his body… to space. He will not be forgotten.

As Seven listens to Lt. Kelly’s tapes we see her gradually change her attitude. …Seven begins to understand the concept of what it meant to be a true explorer and hero. She comes to appreciate sacrifice and selfless dedication exhibited by Kelley, as he states his mission isn’t a failure and continues to explore, with the clear realization the fruits of his labor would never be seen… She comes to realize that Kelley was an individual that chose to take this risk for the betterment of humanity.

-Excerpt from IMDB review

Episode 10: Pathfinder

Barclay: Ever since I… I left the Enterprise, things haven’t… haven’t been the same. It’s as if… I lost my family.

Lt. Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) has found a new obsession- returning Voyager and her crew. When Enterprise visits Earth, Barclay reunites with his counselor/friend, Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), recalling the events leading up to his dismissal and ban from the research (The Pathfinder Project). This ep was written by David Zabel (a veteran of TV) and Ken Biller (writer/producer). This is the first of several eps featuring Barclay and Troi; many viewers commented that they had better story arcs in this series than on TNG!

Barclay: You know what I am always saying: If you can’t stand the heat…
Kim (hologram): Get out of the warp core!

Although Starfleet has adopted their new-style uniform for 3 yrs during the time, people can be seen outside Starfleet HQ wearing the older uniforms; it’s a recycled shot from DS9: Homefront. Richard Herd (who passed away in 2020) has played the recurring role of Adm. Owen Paris; he also played the Klingon L’Kor in TNG: Birthright. A shot of McNeill as Nicholas Locarno from TNG: The First Duty was used as the photo of Paris on Adm. Paris’ desk. Barclay’s holographic imagination of the main characters is based on how they looked before leaving the Alpha Quadrant. Janeway has her original (“bun of steel”) hairstyle, Chakotay and B’Elanna Torres are wearing Maquis leathers (not Starfleet uniforms). Neelix and Seven, who were added to the crew in the Delta Quadrant, do not appear (though Barclay’s cat is named Neelix).

Adm. Paris: Why the long face, Mr. Barclay?
Barclay: Because… because, it’s over, sir.
Adm. Paris: No, lieutenant. I’d say that Project Voyager is just beginning. Thanks to you.

This is a fun ep where we get to see Barclay as a hero- who would’ve imagined!? It’s important to the series (as a whole) b/c Voyager finally gets to talk to Starfleet- YAY! I like the relationship between Barclay and Troi; they are friends, but she also serves as a counselor to him (as on TNG). I liked the design of Barclay’s apt. in San Fran; he just needed to spend some time on decor. Troi still loves chocolate (Barclay offers her ice cream).

It is Broccoli’s multiplex infirmities that brought TNG to level human ground, in that he was probably the most realistic human character of that whole show- and his insecurities mix with his imagination to reveal a complex person. And in true Broccoli style, Schulz slams a home run in this Voyager episode. But there can be no Barclay episode without Counselor Troi, and her ability to set Barclay back on his feet.

-Excerpt from IMDB review

It was surreal, really weird. I didn’t get to work with any of the Voyager cast because all my scenes were on Earth with Dwight [….] The [production] crew was virtually the same as we had for two or three seasons, so I knew everybody and everybody knew me. And with Dwight, I was working with someone from The Next Generation, so it was almost as though I’d gone back in time. It was so strange, but so much fun. Of course, I got all depressed when it was over and I had to leave! [….] The crew on Voyager […] said to me, ‘We really miss you guys.‘ -Marina Sirtis

Episode 12: Blink of an Eye

Chakotay: If there’s an intelligent species down there, we’ll be able to track their development, not just for days or weeks, but for centuries.

B’Elanna: Watch them discover new and better ways of beating each other over the head.

Chakotay: They won’t necessarily follow the Klingon model.

B’Elanna: As opposed to the human model?

Voyager is trapped in orbit above a strange planet where time passes thousands of times faster than in the surrounding galaxy. As the population of the planet evolves, Voyager becomes an integral part of their culture. Eventually, they develop technology that allows them to send someone to the “Sky Ship.” This ep was written by Joe Menosky from a story by Michael Taylor. TOS had an ep entitled Wink of an Eye where Scalosians, moving too fast to be seen or heard (other than a faint buzzing sound), board Enterprise and abduct Capt. Kirk.

Gotana-Retz: [singing a childhood prayer-song] Star of the night / Star of the day / Come to take my tears away / Make my life always bright.

This is listed as one of the “Ten Essential Episodes” of Voyager in the 2008 reference book Star Trek 101 by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann. The storyline is largely the same as the plot of the 1980 novel Dragon’s Egg by Robert L. Forward, with some minor variations (EX: the lifeforms were on a pulsar, not a rapidly spinning planet, and the time differential was much greater). Obi Ndefo (Kelemane- the protector) previously played Drex, son of the Klingon warrior Martok, in DS9: The Way of the Warrior. The tall/handsome Korean-American actor, Daniel Dae Kim (DDK), plays astronaut Gotana-Retz; he’d later play the recurring role of Corporal Chang in Enterprise.

Gotana-Retz: Without the Sky Ship up above them, my people might lose interest in progress. There wouldn’t be anything left to reach for.

Seven of Nine: Perhaps they’ll miss Voyager so much, they’ll do everything they can to follow us.

I loved this ep- it was interesting, intelligent, and touching! I liked the varied settings, costumes, and set design (as the planet progressed). DDK gave a fine/memorable performance; some of you may know from Lost or the rom com 2019 Almost Be My Maybe (starring Allie Wong and Randall Park). I esp. liked DDK’s scene w/ Mulgrew in her ready room; they had some good chemistry. This was the only ep directed by Gabrielle Beaumont; she went on to do 7 eps of DS9.

[1] ..this was my favorite Voyager episode ever made. The story was perfect for an episode of Star Trek and the only thing disappointing about it was that it should’ve been a two-part episode giving more time to focus on the inhabitants of the world as they worship the “Skyship.” At times I even think this could’ve passed as a Star Trek Movie plot. […] This episode also should be noted for it’s greatness because although there was a small bit of conflict at the end, this episode focused more on problem solving rather than space battles. Also it didn’t rely on the return of old favorites (Borg, Q, etc.) to make it good.

[2] Fans of The Doctor will get an especially good kick out of this episode as he achieves some sort of humanity. It’ll give you a warm smile, much in the way Data’s quest for humanity did for many TNG fans.

For me, the ending is the best part of the episode. It’ll make you feel warm, happy and sad. An extremely great story that manages to put itself among the best of the Star Trek episodes.

-Excerpts from IMDB reviews

Episode 20: Good Shepherd

Chakotay: There are always a few who don’t make it past their first year on a starship. Normally they’re reassigned, but in our case, maybe we should relieve them of duty and let them pursue their own interests. It certainly wouldn’t hurt general efficiency.

Janeway: They aren’t drones, Chakotay. We can’t just deactivate them.

In Seven’s report on ship-wide efficiency, she brings to the captain’s attention 3 “black sheep” crewmen who’ve slipped through the cracks. Mortimer Harren (former child actor Jay Underwood) is an overqualified/unenthused engineer, Tal Celes is the Bajoran w/ no confidence in herself, and her pal William Telfer is a hypochondriac. Seeking to guide her strays back to the flock, Janeway orders them to join her on an away mission to a Class T nebula in the Delta Flyer. Anxiety strikes when the know-it-all Harren gets sensor data wrong, Tal is plagued w/ worry, and an intrusive alien gives Telfer a real medical emergency.

Janeway: That’s the nature of space exploration. It’s unpredictable.

Mortimer Harren: Which is why I don’t like space exploration. Stumbling from star to star like a… a drunken insect careening toward a light source is not my idea of a dignified existence.

Some viewers compared this ep to Lower Decks on TNG (one of the few TNG eps I haven’t seen yet). While the Enterprise D ((TNG) was filled w/ the best and the brightest, not all the crew on Voyager come from the top of Starfleet Academy. Don’t’ forget that about 1/3 of them are former Maquis, too. Several viewers found Harren unlikeable, esp, b/c he acts disrespectful to Janeway; the actor did a fine job.

Episode 21: Live Fast and Prosper

Tom: Why didn’t we see this coming?

Neelix: Orphans! It’s the oldest gambit in the book!

Tom: I-I mean, if it’d been Harry, I could understand it, he trusts everybody; but you and me?

The Voyager crew is the victim of identity theft. A clever trio of con artists (claiming to be Janeway, Chakotay, and Tuvok) are making trades all over the quadrant and giving Voyager a bad name. When they skip out on the bill, the collectors demand payment from the real Voyager. Once Janeway has her doppelganger in custody, Neelix “accidently” lets her escape, allowing the real captain to run her own double-cross. 

Dala: The great Captain Janeway. Somehow I expected you to be… taller. I make a better you than you.

This is one of the few LOL eps of the series! The con woman, Dala (Kaitlin Hopkins), does a great impression of Janeway. I learned that Hopkins is the daughter of veteran actress Shirley Knight (wow)! Mulgrew and Hopkins have great chemistry in their scenes. This ep is directed by LeVar Burton- another reason to check it out.

Episode 22: Muse

Crash-landed on an alien planet while scouting for dilithium, B’Elanna finds herself held captive by Kelis (Joseph Will), a poet who believes her an “Eternal” sent from Heaven to be his muse. As she lay unconscious for days from injuries, he took her logs and wrote a (Greek-style) play- “The Away Mission of B’Elanna Torres,” which his starving acting troupe performed before a patron who wants more (in a week). B’Elanna strikes a deal: if he will retrieve some “winter’s tears” (dilithium), she will tell him more stories about “Shining Voyager, Far From Home.”

Kelis: [about the types of artifice in theater] Mistaken identity – a character who is someone else. Discovery – the moment when that identity is revealed. Reversal- a situation that turns from good to bad in a blink of an eye.

Chorus #1: [entering] Find the truth of your story, and you won’t need all those tricks. [to Torres] I don’t know how things are done across the Eastern Sea, but here, poets have become lazy. They rely on manipulation to move their audience. It wasn’t always that way.

This was one of my fave eps of the season; I’m surprised that many don’t like it! The teleplay was written by Menosky; I usually enjoy his work on Trek. Kelis’ theatre is based on a 5th c. BC Athenian theatre. The masks the actors use are really made to look like their characters. Veteran actors Tony Amendola and John Schuck (who appeared in TOS movies, DS9, and Enterprise) are part of the chorus seen mainly in the background. I’m sure they were quite impressed w/ this script (to take such small roles). Here is my fave scene below!

Kelis: Today, audiences want excitement… passion! Let me show you what I’ve done with Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. [to his troupe] Let’s make a good impression on our visitor. [Tanis and Jero run through a scene]

Tanis: [as Janeway] Chakotay, why must I be denied what every other female officer on this ship can have?

Jero : [as Chakotay] Captain?

Tanis: The privilege of your touch. [they kiss; B’Elanna, aghast, doesn’t know what to say]

Episode 24: Life Line

Seven: [looking at Dr. Zimmerman’s profile] You bear a striking resemblance.

The Doctor: He used his own physical parameters as a model for my matrix. Can’t say I blame him. A doctor needs to inspire confidence in his patients. Compassionate eyes and a strong chin can go a long way.

The Pathfinder Project makes use of a pulsar and the MIDAS Array, allowing a data stream to reach Voyager (and Voyager to reply) every 32 days. Lt. Barclay sends a letter to The Doctor asking for a second opinion on Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the eccentric genius who created the template for The Doctor’s program and is terminally ill (w/ no known cure in the Alpha Quadrant). After reviewing the medical record, The Doctor believes he can cure Zimmerman and convinces Janeway to risk sending him through the data stream. However, The Doctor finds his maker to be his most difficult patient, insisting The Doctor’s program is obsolete. Barclay recruits Troi to counsel them before Zimmerman’s time runs out.

Zimmerman: Reginald was right about you. You HAVE exceeded the sum of your programing. You’ve accomplished far more than I would have ever predicted but, let’s face facts, you never overcame the inherent flaws in your personality subroutines. You’re arrogant, irritable – a “jerk,” as Counselor Troi would say.

The Doctor: I believe she was describing YOU as well.

Zimmerman: Don’t change the subject.

This is another ep w/ Zimmerman, Barclay, and Troi (always like seeing her). Many viewers found it both humorous and touching, as we see Picardo does well in dual roles and we face w/ a serious issue (death). The almost father-son dynamic between Zimmerman and The Doctor comes off as natural (not annoying).

Episode 26: Unimatrix Zero, Part I

Simultaneously, as Voyager nears an alien outpost decimated by the Borg, Seven begins to dream vividly of an idyllic sanctuary where a few Borg can gather subconsciously- Unimatrix Zero.

[Janeway plans to save the drones in Unimatrix Zero]

Janeway: Chakotay… we’ve had our disagreements – and there have been times when I’ve chosen to proceed without your support – but this can’t be one of those times. I won’t do this without my First Officer.

Chakotay: The way I see it, risking the safety of Voyager is a small price to pay. We help these people, this could be the turning point in our battle against the Borg.

Janeway: I’m glad we agree, because I almost talked myself out of it.

Chakotay: Somehow I don’t think you were ever in danger of doing that.

Um, yeah, this IS the season finale! When I first saw it, I was disappointed (and a bit bored); on rewatch, it didn’t come off any better. The love interest for Seven, Axum (Mark Deakins), was so bland and boring! There is zero chemistry between Axum and Seven (who has thus far avoided romance). Several viewers joked that they’d seen more realistic/scarier Klingons doing cosplay than Gen. Korok (Jerome Butler). This is one of the cases where you have to wonder: “Do these actors you have a back-up job?” Also, how does Gen. Korok have a weapon (bat’leth) in this dream world? It doesn’t make sense; there are other goofs in this ep (which you can see for yourself).