LogFAQs > #969353751

Having seen Life on Mars, the test cards, and other BBC artefacts, are actually quite fascinating to me, too.

Episode 2: The Naked Now

Yep, basically a sequel/remake. Still, with a brand new cast comes a need to explore both them and the actors' abilities. Also, it's like 20 years later, so, I'm not going to hold a familiar plot against it this time.

Picard seems a little calmer. Following from his difficulties with children, he seems quite socially awkward in general. His odd little wave to Crusher and drunkenly rambling about names when she tries to jump his bones. Stewart, of course, sells the hell out of it. The little hop he does as a combination excited tick/confidence booster is brilliant. I can damn near feeling his teeth grinding when he has to be vaguely civil to Wesley.

Riker might be something of an audience surrogate. I missed it last time (which is unusually stupid of me, although, in fairness, I had an assessment to finish, so, i was a little distracted), but between being shown the details of ship, including the holodeck, and pointing out the similarity of the plot to TOS, he's very much guiding us into this world. He's arguably the most normal of the bunch, too. Upon infection, he just remarks that it's not the greatest time for that and gets on with his job.

I imagine Geordie (or at least Burton) had seen many reading rainbows. Joking aside, it is masterful how he can convey so many emotions with just facial expressions, despite a great big visor blocking most of it. His irritation at Crusher clearly stems from his constant agony and, of course, it gives way to sadness before long.

Yar demonstrates quite a sweet side to Geordie. Love her sexy swagger when intoxicated. Similar to the last episode, Crosby puts her whole body into acting. Got some details on her tragic backstory. There is a potentially sexist (or at least reductionist) reading to how, after nearly being sexually abused, our strong female character wants a gentle soul, but her actions prior to fucking Data suggest that she's pretty in control of her sexuality. Plus, it amuse me to see that scene as her giving up on a bad job and grabbing a high tech vibrator that can at least follow instructions.

Worf makes some amusing comments on the antics, but I'm still not seeing much to him yet. Doesn't seem all that enthralled by Wesley, which I can understand.

Crusher is similar to Riker, in that she's relatively normal compared to everyone else. Unlike Riker, who is our audience surrogate, Crusher just appears to be someone who happens to live in this world. Its hard to put into words precisely what McFadden is doing, but I see her as the only character in this bunch who could actually exist in the real world. Fancying Picard is an interesting choice, considering their history. She manages to keep a degree of self awareness and professionalism after infection. Her and Stewart's scenes have the air of a slightly dodgy work Christmas party.

Troi is still holding a candle for Riker. Her comment about fucking him whilst also inside his mind is the kind of delightful extrapolating of psychic powers that I will never tire of. The idea is beautiful to me. Her interaction with Yar was kind of fun.

Data is rapidly becoming my favourite character. Spiner is an amazing actor. His ability to snap from stoically doing his job to being interested in the latest word or phrase is brilliant. That smile when he follows Yar into the bedroom is golden, as is his post coital drunk swagger about the bridge.

I can't abide Wesley. Mentioning this again, but having taught children of various ages, bad child characters go far beyond merely annoying me. He's trying to play the role of Riley here, but it doesn't even begin to work for me. His little Picard voice box and obsessive fantasy of controlling the Enterprise is creepy as hell. They try to give him some redemption by suggesting a couple of solutions, but it doesn't work. The boy is insufferable.

The chief engineer is a surprising highlight. Just resigned to working in a circus. Actually seems annoyed when Picard injects her.

I don't know how much Netflix updated the effects, but I'm still liking the VFX work. That room Geordie enters with the frozen bodies is a work of art. We have the same hissing noise for new infections. Got to see more of the ship. There was an overly dramatic zoom in to Crusher's face at one point. Kind of funny that suggest McCoy's solution and it doesn't work. Listening in on the party was wonderfully awkward.

Fair bit sexist, this one. All three of the female characters become incredibly lustful, whereas only two of the men (and Data is slightly ambiguous, at that) follow suit. They're a damn sight better than the needy wimps of TOS, due to actually being more overtly coded as sexual and in charge of their sexuality, but it still ain't great. Weird anti sex message at the end, too, with Picard babbling about temptation.

Wesley aside, I quite liked this one, though. It was fun.

Worf hasn't got up to much, but judging from the title, I imagine Code of Honour will have more to say about him.