Amazon.com

It's tempting to call this harrowing picture a World War II version of All Quiet on the Western Front: both films take the perspective of ordinary German soldiers at ground level. Stalingrad surveys the misery of the battle of Stalingrad, the winter siege that cost the lives of almost one and a half million people, Russian defenders and German invaders alike. Not unlike Spielberg's approach to Saving Private Ryan, German director Joseph Vilsmaier rarely steps outside the action to comment on the higher purpose of the war, assuming the audience is aware of the evil of the Nazi regime. Instead, we simply follow a group of soldiers as they endure a series of gut-wrenching episodes, events which have the tang of authenticity and horror. Vilsmaier has a taste for symbolism and surreal touches, which only add to the unsettling sense of insanity this movie conjures up so well. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Best war movie I've ever seen
I liked this movie from the very start. Not only does it give the viewer an eye-opener into how ordinary German soldiers thought (not all or even most Germans were Nazi fanatics and anti-Semite but Hollywood doesn't know or care) but it offers something different from typical American propaganda. The combat scenes are as powerful as the opening of Saving Private Ryan (a good movie until the end, when the heroic Yanks defeat the evil Krauts) but we know that it will all be a waste and for nothing, and what's worse, Hitler or the senior officers don't even care (neither do American leaders, but they keep a lid on that kind of stuff).
I don't need to say much about the film itself (there are other reviews for that) but I will say that this film does an excellent job at showing how the fighting at Stalingrad was, and how the German army struggled to gain Hitler his Lebensraum. It displays the character's slow realization that their cause is lost and their reaction, which would happen to just about any soldier in any army (yes, even the Waffen-SS, uh, the U.S. Marines).

All in all, an excellent movie.

A balanced account of the German Soldier in WWII
It seems to me that so-called "Anti-war" movies make the best accounts of warfare and "Stalingrad" is no exception. This acclaimed anti-war film delivers solid acting and characters with depth, excluding the two-dimension Military Police Captain, who fulfills the obligatory role of as the film's token "true Nazi" (there had to be at least one!). Aside from that, I'm hard-pressed to name another movie that portrays the German soldier in World War II with such historical accuracy and objective portrayal. Military history buffs will appreciate the attention given to uniforms and the correct organization of the unit in the film as an Engineer battalion with an attached Feldgendarmerie company. (Though in the English version, the translators botched this, choosing to translate "Sturmpioniere" to the politically pejorative "Stormtroopers" rather than the more accurate "Assault Engineers") Real Russian T34s, magnetic anti-tank mines, a PAK 40 and a host of other authentic equipment make the setting for the tale believable.

But the movie is more than an active display of 1942 militaria. It is an intensely human tale of person within the soldier. For me, the film was strongly reminiscent of Guy Sajer's "Forgotten Soldier", particularly in capturing the deadly misery of the Russian winter and the daily lot of the common soldier. "Stalingrad" will be of interest to military viewers for leader professional development training. In particular, the film is solid precursor to values training and discussions of the boundaries of duty, selfless sacrifice, and loyalty.

I am extremely pleased to add this film in my collection and thank you for the opportunity to recommend it further.

About as much fun as being there.
"Stalingrad" is the most depressing film I've ever seen. Mind you, I didn't think a story about the death of 260,000 German soldiers would be as uplifting as, say, "The Sound of Music" but this movie pulls out all the stops in an effort to leave the viewer a quivering, glassy-eyed emotional pulp.

Made by the same producers who gave us the seminal "Das Boot" I found it not in that league. The film is overlong, sterotypical, and spends too much time cramming postwar German conscience pangs down the viewer's throat. Moreover, the last hour or so reminds me of those interminable scenes from "Born on the Fourth of July" that seem more interested in punishing the audience than advancing the story. The battle for, and siege of, Stalingrad, was no doubt an experience of horror and misery beyond the power of words or images to describe it, but what I was hoping for here was a German version of "Saving Private Ryan" -- high on combat and confusion, short on moralizing. Unfortunately, all postwar German cinema is filtered through the same revisionist political opinions; this explains why all German war movies inevitably leave you with the feeling like you've been punched in the stomach or clubbed over the head. After about an hour I was hoisting my own flag of surrender; but the pummeling continued.

The scene at the airfield, for example, when the wounded men are trying desperately to get out on the last transports, is very hard to watch. From what I've read, however, it seems that discipline in the Stalingrad pocket was maintained until the bitter end, and the airfield scene may more resemble how the producers of the film wanted history to unfold rather than the actual way it did. In fact, the 90,000 men who lived to surrender (all but 5,000 of whom died in captivity) did so only when they were completely out of fuel, medicine, and ammunition, and had no other means to resist; but the producers, of course, permit to trace of pride in military accomplishment to enter into their film.

Most American movies and television portray the Germans in World War II as heel-clicking cartoon idiots ("I know nutink! Nutink!"). Most German war movies portray the Germans as either villainous martinet Nazis, or cynical disbelievers who carry arms only for Germany and not for Hitler or the Party. In fact, the record shows that the Germans overwhelmingly trusted Hitler and were deeply inspired by his ideology. It is this fact, and not what was done in the name of National Socialism, that seems to sit very hard in the modern German stomach.

What's my motivation to buy this dvd?
Why does this dvd have an english (dubbed) soundtrack only. It was obviously made in german (like Das Boot), so why no german soundtrack available? Surely some people would prefer to watch the film in the original german soundtrack with english subtitles. But no subtitles either! What were the people who compiled this dvd thinking! Why not include the original soundtrack. Surely this was available.
One of the best parts of the film, a scene showing the platoon listening to a speech by Hitler (the actual recording) over an improvised radio, also has no subtitles! So good luck to anyone who would have been interested in knowing what the speech was about.

If ever there was a film that could benefit from rudimentary features like a choice of language or subtitles - this is it.

Probably one of my favourate war films. Probably the worst DVD in my collection.

The way war should be shown : Vivid and Horrifying
I had never heard of this film untill I spotted this DVD out of the corner of my eye in the store and bought it, and I am glad I did. This movie has surpassed any previous depiction of the stress and hardship's that the common soldier and civilian alike faced in WW2 that I have ever seen and I felt this is also the first war movie to take the glory out of battle and replace it with the truth "war is hell".

I like many other reviewer's here have seen the endless stream of documentories about stalingrad and have heard the accounts from veteran's of the battle and about the horror and suffering that wen't on, but I feel that the word's and tear's from these veteran's never quite sunk in. After seeing this movie I feel like the pain that was depicted has allowed the words of these veteran's to finnally sink in and I have a new understanding of just what these men had endured...and yet I feel like I still dont know the whole truth.

This film has a permanent home in my collection....I only regret that this movie was not embraced by the U.S. film industry and shown to a wide audience a long time ago....I recommend that anyone who is fan of war movie's or just curious about the war that changed the world.... this is a movie that you cannot pass up seeing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Adverage pot boiler story of adventure and drama on the sea
If you are looking for orginality and something differen't don't invest in this book. I found it to be highly predictable and much the same as many before it. This would not be so bad if it were 'good story telling' . Unfortunately it does not come close . So I am sorry but I must pass on this one. No surprises here. END ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a filmed play, rather than a stage piece reimagined for the movies, which is probably why the general audience never cozied up to this intense picture. But Zoot Suit has a couple of significant attractions. First, it's a landmark Latino work from the pre-indie period, directed by Luis Valdez, an important figure in Chicano theater. Valdez based his acclaimed play on the zoot-suit riots of 1940s Los Angeles, when a group of young Chicano men were railroaded into jail on a murder charge. The director later found a mainstream audience with his juicy rock & roll bio La Bamba, and perhaps a bigger budget might have garnered Zoot Suit the same kind of acceptance. Daniel Valdez, the director's brother, plays the hero and also composed the flavorful songs; but the big draw here is the sensational performance of Edward James Olmos. A brooding actor just beginning his screen career, Olmos plays a flamboyant, hectoring, all-seeing figure called El Pachuco--a Greek chorus with attitude to burn. The wild contours of the zoot suit fit Olmos as snugly as his white shirt and black tie from Miami Vice. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A Chicano West Side Story -- entertaining and informative.
Director Luis Valdez has done an outstanding job in bringing us this highly entertaining and informative picture of life in LA in the 1940's. The music, song, dance, and story in itself will make you cry, laugh and want to swing along with the film. Edward James Olmos demonstrates his many talents as he sings, dances, and plays El Pachuco, trying to convince the hero (Daniel Valdez) to use violence rather than intelligence to overcome prejudice by "Anglos" toward the Latin culture. Great theatrical props and settings along with an in-show audience makes you feel truly part of the whole production. Loved it!

Zoot Suit
I saw this on the Independent Film many years ago, very good film, revolves around Gangs but gangs in the 1940's.

Also a film about Latinos (my people) and the problems they face in the inner city.

It's much better than those terrible soap opera's in Mexico, this film is a musical but it's also a drama focusing on different Hispanic characters.

Edward James Olmos career is synomonus with these type of films
most notable "American Me", "Stand and Deliver", "My family"
a great actor who is part of the real population.

Despite the great performances the film does suffer from
its story, you know several hot headed characters with their
attitude and lifestyles are only headed downhill and their
fates are predetermined.

Still "Zoot Suit" is a good film.

Chasing "The Capeman"
"Zoot Suit" was fighting and uphill battle for my appreciation. That's because I wanted it to be something else entirely. You see, I love the idea of filming live theatre. Purists and snobs will tell you that you lose something essential by taping a performance. Namely the immediacy of the live show--the audience's involvement, right there in the moment. But, on the other hand, that loss is inevitable and unavoidable. The camera is by its nature a detached observer. But it freezes in time what would otherwise be lost forever, unless of course it is revived. And revived is the perfect term because the work is on the brink of death until dedicated actors, directors and audiences are once again ready to breathe life into the piece. I have immense respect for the stage, but if I ever have the opportunity to write professionally I hope to start with screen or print because those two media are easily preserved. Which brings me at long last to my point, I rented "Zoot Suit" because it was close in theme to "The Capeman" which I want to see with all my heart. It has been gone from the stage for years, but is preserved in an almost inaccessible archive. "Zoot Suit" is here for all to see, and it is most certainly worth a viewing. It is much better than "West Side Story." Why is it that a play, which was first and foremost supposed to be an update of "Romeo and Juliet" has instead been elevated to being the end-all and be-all portrayal of street-gang life on the American stage? Anyway, rent it, watch it, enjoy it. Keep in mind that all three are separate plays and you will be much more apt to appreciate each in their own right. Just keep your fingers crossed that someone will take a risk and buy the rights to "The Capeman." I know I am.

Una pachanga musical!
Si usted es aficionado a la cultura chicana, la música swing de los años cuarenta, o de los artistas Edward James Olmos o Lalo Guerrero, ¡esta es la película para usted! La pantalla se enciende con una avalancha de música, baile y drama. La cinta lo lleva a experimentar una noche con el Teatro Campesino del dramaturgo Luis Valdez. ¡Luzca su mejor tacuche! ¡Dele brillo a esos calcos! Póngase abusado que la pachanga va empezar. ¡Simón, carnal!

Important historical drama, hampered by stilted production
This re-telling of the so-called "zoot suit riots" that rocked the Los Angeles homefront during World War II gets the facts right, but tells them rather poorly. Part of it is the super-stagey presentation, which basically is a filming of the play this was based on (right down to the shaking props and backdrops) and which takes little advantage of the possibilities of the film medium. Plus, Edward James Olmos is absolutely insufferable as the uber-symbolic Voice of The Barrio, although Daniel Valdez and Tyne Daly (!) are okay in their respective roles as a young man railroaded by the white establishment for a crime he did not commit, and as the commie agitator who comes to his defense. Anyone interested in the time period and in Chicano politics may benefit from watching this -- I rented it while doing some reseach on the "pachucho" R&B music scene -- but in dramatic and filmic terms, this is not a first-rate production. It's hammy and ham-fisted. Latter-day star spotting: El Teatro Campesion veteran Robert Beltran (of future "Star Trek Voyager" notoriety) has a bit role as a modern-day audience member... ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Instinct (Basically)
Wow! When Paul Verhoeven is on, he is really on. This film has one of those openings. Fantastic, sucks you right in, and then you find out what the film is really about. From what has been previously written about this film, suprisingly, it was not what I expected. In a film that opens with extreme violence and sex (Verhoeven staples) it quickly evolves into an interesting and insightful character study on love and death.

Eric (Rutger Hauer) is a sculpter who lives impulsively and freely until one day, on one of his impulsive adventures, he meets Olga (Monique van de Ven). It takes Eric about a minute to "convince" Olga that he loves her and their meeting ends with a bang, literally (I don't want to give too much away). There relationship goes through the normal ups and downs, oh, and there's plenty of "affection" in the relationship. The film takes some unexpected twists and turns and there are several bizarre scenes involving Olga's mother (she was great) and her family which culminate in an unusual (if not unpredictable) ending.

This film scores on many levels. The acting, the story, and the cinematography are all top notch. Rutger Hauer's character is especially engaging (I love how he molds trash into art) and he turns in one of the best performances of his career. What really sets Turkish Delight apart from other films though is Verhoeven's willingness to go to the extreme. The graphicness of his films (i.e. violence, sex) is something he has fought the censors and the critics on his whole career. But with good reason, it makes his films more interesting and it sets them apart from conventional cinema. He wants to show it all, and while some of his American films may have been graphic or risque, they are tame compared to Turkish Delight. He held nothing back as a filmmaker on this one.

I can understand why this film ruffled some feathers when it was released in 1973. Somewhere around this time Pauline Kael was writing her famous article for the New Yorker exclaiming Last Tango in Paris as a revolutionary film and Turkish Delight would certainly fall into the same catagory as it. However I think it is even more provocative (in terms of the sex scenes) than Last Tango. Definitely not what I was expecting, but a very good film regardless.

Thoroughly depressing
Can't really say much more. When I first watched this the start of it made me laugh.....don't know why but it just did. There was a scene in it where Rutger Hauer says he's better than Jesus ( in the bedroom ) but come the second half of the movie, the film is ultra depressing and you'd have to have a heart made of stone not to be a little emotional. The thing is is that it feels so real what's going on that it's hard remembering that it's only a film. For weeks I couldn't get this out of my head and even now I'm a little reluctant to put it back in because the film although I haven't seen it since I bought it but there are parts in the film I can remember too well. When Erik ( Hauer ) brings home another girl that was prime for the bed there's the statue of Olga ( the amazingly beautiful Monique Van de Ven ) and for a split second Hauer thinks he sees Olga in the flesh until the girl turns the light on and sees that it was just the statue. It's enough to turn off Erik's passion for sex in an instant. It's truly chilling when you see it again ( OK I admit I tried watching it again but just couldn't after I saw that scene )

The love that Erik has for Olga is beyond intense. He's so obsessed that he cannot bear to see her with another man. And like Erik this is the sort of film that transcends that message across to the viewer. Some relationships that have broken up can still have the " we can still be friends " and can happily go on but for the others they may not want to go through the pain again knowing the things they know. It's my opinion that in some respects this movie could also leave you ending up one or the other

Musique?
Great movie!
I thought he music was an important part of the film.
All these reviews are helpful, but the main theme starting with the beach scene was credited wrong.
In the directors commentary he credits Szymanowski-King boris, but the only thing close to that title is King Roger, which i purchased, but that music is not on the king Roger CD.
does anybody know?

Powerful Love Story
Ranks as one of Verhoeven's best films with hypnotic and electrifying performances by Monique Van De Ven and Rutger Hauer. I was completely blown away by the images in this film and its frank honesty. This is a must see film that is easily of the best love stories ever captured on celluloid.

A VERY ADULT LOVE STORY....
Paul Verhoeven's 1973 far-from-Hollywood film opens with the [physical] escapades of Erik (Rutger Hauer) a womanizing self-destructive artist. Alone in his apartment/studio, he reflects back on his life and a painful episode that he can't forget. He met Olga (Monique Van de Ven) in a car accident. They embarked on a wild [physical] affair and Erik fell in love...hard. Olga had personality quirks that confused Erik but he just wrote it off as part of her nature. They married and Olga's behavior became more disturbing until she finally retreated to her mother's and refused to see Erik. Confounded, Erik demanded to see her and still didn't understand the problem. Then Olga winds up in the hospital seriously ill and her problem is revealed to Erik's shattered disbelief. "Turkish Delight" is the name of Olga's favorite candy. He brings it to the hospital to try and get her to eat. This is a powerful, moving and , yes, erotic story beautifully done by Verhoeven and brilliantly acted by Hauer and especially Van de Ven. There is very frank nudity and [physical] scenes that threaten to push your buttons but Verhoeven is the type of director who just throws back the curtain and tells the story. You understand why Erik is the guy he is. Love and [physical attraction] are powerful drugs and death can make you extremely bitter. "Turkish Delight" was nominated as Best Foreign Launguage film in 1974 at the Oscars in Hollywood. Once seen, it is not easily forgotten. It's a very potent adult love story and a gut wrencher. Excellent DVD transfer from Anchor Bay. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

"All hands abandon ship..." BOOM!!!
The above line, and subsequent collision, still chills after repeated viewings as it did when the episode aired over fifteen years ago. Although the destruction of the Enterprise is fiction, the line resonates almost as much as did the real-life "Go with throttle up" spoken to the crew of the ill-fated Challenger.

"Cause and Effect" is one of those time loop episodes that find a welcome home in most science fiction. And it's a remarkably well-paced one, with each "revisitation" as enigmatic as the first one.

This is is first-rate in all aspects!

A truly entertaining episode...
Directing "Cause and Effect" couldn't have been an easy task, but Jonathan Frakes does incredibly well. The Enterprise seems to be trapped in a time loop that starts with the crew playing poker, and ends in the ship colliding with another ship and exploding. How does this happen? How can they prevent it? Watching the episode, you'd think some of the repeated scenes would get old. They don't. In fact, it gets more interesting as the crew begins to realize something's wrong. The ending is terrifically smart and this episode is a TNG classic.

Writer's block episode...
Cause and Effect or the Writer's Block Episode

Kelsey Grammer makes an appearance as a captain of the Starship Bozeman from Kirk's era. He accidently stumbles onto Picards timeline and averts a disaster with the Enterprise. In this one we get to see the Enterprise destroyed at the end of each act before the commercial break. It took them a few tries before they left the endless time loop. It's plot has been repeated before in Voyager and many other Trek episodes. I like to call them the writers block episodes. They have taken the place of what I call the mysterious cloud thing where some ghost like cloud covers the Enterprise and makes the crew act unusual. When the producers get the crunch time of not being able to do location shooting... this is the rusult.. a shipboard story where some special effect wrecks havock with the crew. It doesn't require new sets or any other budget breakers.

The Enterprise blows up (again, and again, and again...)
You will not find a more dramatic teaser to an episode of STNG than this one: The Enterprise is badly damaged with the crew unable to regain control of the ship. Captain Picard issues a frantic order to abandon ship but it is too late and the Enterprise is destroyed by a massive explosion. The next thing we know we are in the middle of just another normal day aboard the Enterprise, except people are experiencing strange feelings of deja vu (as opposed to the unstrange type of that feeling). When the Enterprise encounters a time-space distortion field the main power systems on the ship fail. Suddenly another spaceship emerges from the distortion; Picard tries to use the tractor beams to avoid the other ship but they collide, damaging the Enterprise's starboard warp drive engine. The Enterprise is badly damaged with the crew unable to regain control of the ship. Captain Picard issues a frantic order to abandon ship but it is too late and the Enterprise is destroyed by a massive explosion. We are back to where we started.

This pattern is repeated several times in this episode, with each progression offering slight but significant chances in solving the mystery and avoiding the ship's apparent fate. These changes are most notable in the poker game being played by several members of the bridge crew. "Cause and Effect" is a first rate episode that does a marvelous job of exploring the repetitive and yet still progressive pattern of each time through the time loop. Of course we know that eventually the disaster will be adverted; the fun here is watching them discover the how. This is far and away the best of the STNG time distortion episodes. Final Note: This is the episode where Kelsey Grammer has a nice cameo appearance.

Great episode
The eterprise is in a temporal causality loop. That is the same period of time is repeated again and again with the crew having no memory of the previous loop. If they don't get out of the loop they will be stuck that way possibly forever...

This episode has a cameo appearence by Kelsey Grammer ... Read more

Amazon.com

The two-hour pilot of The Next Generation holds up well after all these years and many, many subsequent episodes and four feature films. Gene Roddenberry's second go-round with Star Trek on television boldly goes where no other soul had gone, overcoming Trekker skepticism at the time about new characters and a new cast. After introducing Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the rest of the crew, the script by Roddenberry and former Star Trek story editor Dorothy Fontana plunges them into a familiar Trek confrontation with a superior power, Q (John De Lancie), in a weirdly archaic setting drawn from Earth history (in this case, the bloody kangaroo courts of Robespierre's day). Declaring mankind barbarous and unworthy of existence, Q gives Picard 24 hours to prove humans are not just a "grievously savage race." The story is punctuated with various delights, particularly first meetings between the characters (watch for Riker's houndish introduction to Dr. Crusher) and a surprise cameo from a Trek icon. There are bumps: originally shot as a 90-minute special, "Encounter" had to be padded a bit (ergo the ship separation scene) to make it two hours. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

"This is a new ship, but she's got the right name."
Star Trek made its return to the television airwaves with the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987. It was apparent from the beginning of "Encounter at Farpoint" that this new series would be more cerebral and less dependent on green-skinned slave girls and bare-chested captains. This was going to be a series that emphasized that humankind could co-exist in harmony with the technology of its creation and would only resort to violence to solve problems as a last resort.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) sets a course for Farpoint Station on his newly commissioned Enterprise-D to pick up new crew members Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), and Wesley Crusher (Wil Weaton). However, with Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn), and Lt. Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) already on board, the Enterprise is intercepted by the mysterious Q (John de Lancie) who chastises Picard for humanity's inability to leave behind its more savage impulses. Picard objects to the accusation and argues that humankind, while still far from perfect, has abandoned its more destructive habits. Q decides to test this claim by subjecting the Enterprise-D to a test at Farpoint Station which will determine just how far humanity as a whole has evolved.

Being the first episode in a new series, "Encounter at Farpoint" has the usual problems typical of television pilots. The dialogue and performances are a little stiff and the nuances between characters had not yet had time to develop. Yet, "Encounter at Farpoint" is notable for expanding the Star Trek mythos considerably in just a single episode. We are introduced to a new class of ship, a new uniform design, new alien beings, the infamous holodeck, and given a history lesson on important developments that preceded the advent of Starfleet. A cameo by Admiral Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) also provides a nostalgic link to the fondly-remembered original series. It would take some time before Star Trek: The Next Generation found its stride but "Encounter at Farpoint" did its job by establishing a solid foundation on which to build upon.

The ST:TNG pilot episode...
The U.S.S Enterprise, captained by Jean-Luc Picard, is on a routine investigative mission to Farpoint Station when they encounter an enigmatic, god-like individual known simply as Q. The omnipotent being appears to have no other intention other than to cause trouble and immediately places Picard and his senior officers on trial for the crimes of humanity...

Encounter of Farpoint is not among the best of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes - it merely serves as a necessary starting point for a TV programme that took until its third series to display the type of quality we associate it with. Characters are introduced; past relationships are established (although it does take 178 episodes, seven series, three movies and eleven years for anything to come of it in the case of Riker and Troi). This is a must-have for any fan of the series - watching "Encounter at Farpoint" and comparing it to later episodes will allow you to see just how far the characters - Picard, Riker, Troi, Dr Crusher, Data, Worf, La Forge and Yar - have evolved and how the show as a whole changed over time.

~*Jenna*~

It introduced us to so many characters and yet told a story
Had I written a review of this episode shortly after it came out, it would not have been nearly as positive as this one. In viewing it again, I am struck at how well the two "unusual" characters of Q and Data are introduced. While to outward appearances he is human, Data is an android and we are immediately made aware of that as well as some of his "failings." Simple things such as whistling and humor are beyond his capacity at this time.
The outstanding feature is the introduction of one of the best characters to ever appear in a television series, Q, the impish God. Without question, he is a god, possessing mighty powers and yet he is using them to determine the worthiness of humanity to explore the stars. After the dark, foreboding and sometimes bloody descriptions of God in much of our religious literature, it is a pleasure to see one who puns and tests us with puzzles rather than in how well we slaughter our enemies. Of secondary interest is the mention of the Ferengi, although they are described as a people who eat those who displease them.
Dr. McCoy of the original series makes an appearance as an admiral, inspecting the medical facilities of the Enterprise. He is as irascible as ever, yet he also praises the Vulcans as an honorable race, worthy of respect. Data escorts him while he is on the Enterprise, and their conversation is one of the classics in the entire Star Trek genre.
The Enterprise crew gets together and their mission is to investigate Farpoint Station, a structure constructed with unusual rapidity by a people who wish to have the Federation use it as a star base. On the way to Farpoint, they encounter Q and we are introduced to the plot device where the saucer and weapons sections can be separated. This was not extensively used in subsequent episodes, which was unfortunate. Given that families are now on starships, it is my belief that such separations would be standard practice when there is the reasonable expectation of hostilities.
Q creates a courtroom whose spectators are survivors of an atomic holocaust. Humanity is put on trial through the crew of the Enterprise and then they are let free to continue their mission. When the Enterprise arrives at Farpoint, things are not what they appear to be. When the leader of the people who built Farpoint is questioned, he professes ignorance, yet it is clear he knows what is happening. Another "ship" arrives and begins bombarding the city near Farpoint. Rather than immediately firing on the new arrival, Picard seeks information and learns that the "ship" is in fact an intelligent entity that is trying to free its' mate, which has been transformed into Farpoint. By firing energy of the proper form into Farpoint, the Enterprise heals the creature and it frees itself. Q is impressed by this and announces that humanity has passed the test.
Given that there was very little to build on, this episode effectively introduces much of what is arguably the greatest television series ever. Therefore, it can also be considered the best episode of the series.

Just what you'd expect from the first episode of a series
While 'Encounter At Farpoint' is only average at best it's important to take into consideration that it is the series opener. In many such shows most of the production staff and especially the actors tend to be concerned whether or not the show will succeed; additionally the actor's character portrayals naturally become sharper and better defined. Considering the daunting task of attempting to revive the series with an all-new cast it is completely understandable that there should be some hesitation or reservations present. The debut of this Trek serialization was penned equally by the seasoned and distinguished series veterans D.C. Fontana and the show's creator Gene Roddenberry. Reportedly the story went through several changes but basically retained the same original plot of the new Enterprise crew at the edge of known Federation explored space, find the peculiar conundrum and expose the culprits. The Farpoint scenario isn't really fleshed out well; what really works best in this episode is the inspired invention of Q, brought to vivid life by the underrated and underused John De Lancie. He became more of a scamp and a thorn in the side of Picard in later episodes, but here he is genuinely nefarious and quite ominous. His performance in his relatively few scenes is more than memorable and adds punch to the proceedings when it is lagging. There is also a natural lead-in to the future episode 'Hide And Q' that comes near the end when Q first meets Riker face-to-face.

Though the show falls flat where it is concerned with the Farpoint station, the concept of Q is well developed; an omnipotent, all-powerful being appears and tells the humans they can come this far and no farther. Incapable of battling against such a potent foe the humans strike the only bargain they can: test us. See if we've advanced beyond our primitive and savage desires; watch us and make certain we don't corrupt and defile everything and everyone we come into contact with. The challenge comes at an opportune and delicate time too as the Enterprise is beginning their new mission. Sure it's a convenient plot element but it gives the writers something to work with right out of the gate and besides future Q appearances give the viewer something to look forward to in later episodes.

Initially the main characters themselves don't really come off too successfully; with the exceptions of Jonathan Frakes as Riker and Brent Spiner as Data everyone would appear to be only a distant reflection of what they were here in the episodes immediately following. At times Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard comes off as more of a classroom instructor grading the crewmembers in some sort of a starship mockup exercise; Denise Crosby as Tasha Yar seems mousy here in comparison to the rest of the series; Michael Dorn as Worf speaks lines only so that Picard can chastise him; Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi wavers uncomfortably between strong and meek characterizations, unable to discern which quality she should be projecting; other cast members get too little screen time for us to get any real impression of them. By the show's end though we get a good feel of what to expect of them in future episodes; the addition of past histories and relationships between some of the key bridge officers is a great twist. Later the writers would make the most of these opportunities drawing us into the problems of being both a superior officer and a friend, defining the lines that can and can't be crossed.

Good Beginning To A Remarkable Sci Fi Show!
Star Trek: TNG was and is one of my favorite TV shows, I actually started watching it during it's second season and didn't get to watch the first season episodes til I got some first season videos from Columbia House and when I watched Encounter At Farpoint Parts One and Two I wasn't disapponted because it answered some questions for me such as how they were introduced to Q and who this Tasha Yar was who was mentioned in some of the second season episodes. Yes it may be said that Encounter at Farpoint isn't an excellent movie but it's not awful, not one of the few stinkers of the series long run by any means and I actually found this series pilot quite entertaining especially the scenes with Q played by John De Lancie who I think was fantastic and so was Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-luc Picard and I think all of the the actors were good, yes their acting wasn't as good as in other episodes but since as this was the pilot I think they just hadn't hit their stride yet and when the characters were more fully developed their acting improved a lot and really impressed me and though Encounter At Farpoint is not a 5 star episode I think it's worth 4 stars just for the scenes with John De Lancie and Patrick Stewart and in other first season episodes and later seasons you will get to see great acting from LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, etc. ... Read more

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TNG really hits its stride with this well-written episode. What starts out as Data's letter to the nefarious Bruce Maddox at the Daystrom Institute evolves into a complex and genuinely funny character study of the seemingly "emotionless" android. Oh, and it's the "1,550th day since the Enterprise was commissioned."

Over the course of the series, Data desperately strives to become more "human." This episode illustrates the point that even though he is technically a machine, Data possesses fundamental traits that define humanity. He has a great capacity for forgiveness (Bruce Maddox wanted to deactivate and dissect him in "Measure of a Man"), compassion (we're introduced to Data's cat, Spot), and friendship. And finally, Data is baffled and bemused by interpersonal relationships, which is the very definition of human being. As always, Brent Spiner plays Data baffled with the sophistication of Cary Grant. The B-story about Chief O'Brien's wedding is particularly baffling and amusing. Rosalind Chao makes her first appearance as Keiko, and the ship's arboretum makes its first appearance as itself.

"Data's Day" ranks high on TNG top 10 lists, and is a favorite with trivia buffs for absolute high weirdness. Things to watch for and ponder endlessly: Worf and the crystal swan; the Bolian Barber's unique hair coloring method; Dr. Crusher's secret past as the Dancing Doctor; the Ersatz Vulcan; Spot; the whole Miles and Keiko thing going on; and last but not least, the immortal sneer: "Human bonding rituals often involve a lot of... talking... and dancing... and crying." --Kayla Riggney ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A hilarious episode
This episode is a first for Star Trek, in that it presents the episode in 'a day in the life' format of one of it's characters. The character chosen in the crew's android, Lieutenant Commander Data. Data is an excellent choice, as he provides many witty comments about human behaviour throughout the story.

Anyway, in the episode, Data must sort out a disagreement between an couple who are due to be married, learn how to dance, solve the mysterious death of one of the Federation's top Ambassadors and be father of the bride in a wedding on board the ship. Pretty hard work for a day's work I'd say!!

The episode is a comic gem, with some great interplay between Data and the rest of the crew. I would recommend it to both the casual Star Trek viewer and the die-hard fan, who will find it a trivia fest!

A day in the life of Data the tap dancing super sleuth
The framing device for this episode is that Data is putting together a report on all of his activities for a single day to be forwarded to Bruce Maddox, the clown who wanted to claim Data as Starfleet property back in "The Measure of a Man" (Episode 35). For the sake of argument we will assume that Data does not do a mondo data dump on him. Two main activities occupy Data's time and effort on this particular date. First, he has been asked to stand in as the bride's father at the wedding of Chief O'Brien and Keiko, since he introduced the happy couple. There is a hysterical sequence when Data asks Dr. Crusher to teach him to dance; she teaches him tap dancing before she learns he wants to be able to dance with the bride at the wedding. Second, the Enterprise is taking Vulcan Ambassador T'Pei to the Netural Zone for a meeting with the Romulans who supposedly want to enter into diplomatic conversations with the Federation. However, a transporter malfuction apparently kills the ambassador when they try to beam her over to the Romulans. There is too much mystery here for Captain Picard and Data has to use his positronic brain to find out what really happened.

"Data's Day" would be an interesting episode even without the framing device of Data's report. I almost get the feeling that they had this interesting plot line involving a mysterious Vulcan ambassador and a fun one with Data being father of the bride at Keiko's wedding and figured why not toss the two together? Except for Data there is really nothing that puts these two halves together. The surprising thing is that the whole is more than the sum of the parts. This is not one of the best Data episodes, but it certainly does provide more insights in everyone's favorite android than most.

A Day in the Life
I love this episode! "Data's Day" is TNG writing at its best. Behind the simple premise lies a very complex character study of the seemingly "emotionless" android, Data. Make no mistake, even though "Data's Day" is charming and very, very funny, it's also quite revealing.

Over the course of the series, Data as a character desparately strives to become more "human." This episode illustrates the point that even though he is an android, Data posesses fundemental traits that define "humanity." He has a great capacity for forgiveness ("Data's Day" is a letter to Bruce Maddox, the man who wanted to deactivate and disect him), compassion (we're introduced to Data's cat, Spot) and friendship. We should all be so human.

"Data's Day" shows up on a lot of TNG Top 10 Best Episode lists. Definitely makes my personal Top 10. All-around great episode. Excellent writing. Spiner's acting is solid as always. Tons of fodder for trivia buffs.

Things to watch for: Spot; The Dancing Doctor; Worf & the crystal swan; Keiko and Miles; and last but not least, The Ersatz Vulcan ... Read more

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As Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) heads to Starfleet Academy to take theirgrueling entrance exam, a brash Starfleet commander (Robert Schenkkan) boards the Enterprise in order to conduct a top-secret investigation. Just as Wesley doesn't always know what is and isn't part of the test (he's one of four finalists for a single Academy slot), the crew of the Enterprise doesn't know who or what is being investigated. All they are told is that "something is wrong with the ship." Soon they figure out that Captain Picard is under investigation, as captain's logs are nitpicked for inconsistencies and past actions are questioned. This puts everybody on edge, as they can't understand what could be wrong with a captain as competent as Picard, but the commander is under strict orders not to blab about it until the investigation is over. Both story lines are eventually resolved, of course, but it's fun to see the members of the Enterprise get all uppity in defense of Picard. --AndySpletzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Did you hear what she said, Mordock? She said I was cute."
You would not think an episode primarily concerned with people taking an exam would be engaging, but "Coming of Age" is exactly that. Remember that if you ever come across an exam question asking about the proper ratio of matter to antimatter, the answer is 1 to 1. Don't know the answer to the Dynamic Relationships question though.

The Enterprise-D arrives at Relva VII. As Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) beams down to take his Starfleet Academy entrance exam, Admiral Gregory Quinn (Ward Costello) and Lt. Commander Dexter Remmick (Robert Schenkkan) beam aboard the ship to conduct an investigation. As Wesley starts to stress over the psychological evaluation portion of the exam, the Enterprise's senior officers start to become impatient with the increasingly hostile nature of Remmick's line of questioning. As if Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) doesn't have enough to worry about, he is also forced to deal with a suicidal Jake Kurland (Stephen Gregory) who has become despondent over not qualifying for the Starfleet Academy entrance exam

Talk about a full plate. "Coming of Age" has a little bit of everything. We get to see what Starfleet Academy's entrance exam is like, we get a glimpse of a Benzite for the first time, we get to witness the tightening up of Star Trek: The Next Generation's continuity in the course of Remmick's investigation, we get to see Picard be offered the head job at Starfleet academy, and we get a wonderful guest starring turn by Robert Ito. Oh, and I almost forget to mention that we also learn that courtesy is a no-no when speaking to a Zoldan. With so much material to fill up this single episode, it is no wonder that it moves along at a crisp pace and manages to keep the proceedings interesting from beginning to end. You know an episode is good when Wesley Crusher is holding your attention. Wow.

We learn much about the culture of Star Fleet
Most of the best episodes of the original series and TNG deal with learning about new cultures. In this episode, we learn much about the culture of Star Fleet and it is done in two ways. The first is when Wesley leaves the Enterprise to take the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. While many elements of the exam are familiar, there are many that are unexpected. The candidates are of course grilled by computer, all in the same room, and there seems to be few, if any, restrictions on their communicating during the exam. Clearly, these exams are very difficult, as even the boy genius Wesley struggles and does not "pass."
The second element of the culture is when Lt. Commander Remmick boards the Enterprise to conduct a very demanding investigation of Captain Picard. His probe is nasty, with very testy questions, leading to a great deal of hard feelings among the crew. Nevertheless, we see how strong the discipline of Star Fleet is, as only someone with enormous self control would be able to tolerate it. Remmick is very impressed, even asking if he could serve on the Enterprise when his current tour is over.
This is an episode that should have appeared earlier in the series. Since so much of what the characters are was molded by their Star Fleet training, it is good for us to be able to see some of what it involves. While it is not a great episode, it certainly ranks in the top twenty percent.

Starfleet Exam
Coming of Age or......The Horrendous Psyche Test at the Academy

Another Wesley Crusher episode. In this one we get to see him as a finalist at Starfleet Academy. He meets other students his age and discovers he's not the only one who couldn't fit in. He meets a Benzite called Mordock; who proves to help him with insider info on the test. Wes and his other classmates take the infamous psyche test. It means facing your greatest fear in the holodeck simulation. He follows his instincts and meets the test with unexpected bravery. I wish that the Crusher character was given more episodes like this. It would have been better if the writers took him through the academy instead of turning him into another time traveler entity.

The writing staff never followed up on this concept. What happened to Wes other than him becoming one of those hocus-pocus magical Q-like entities? The more I think of this episode; the more I say the right direction for his character would be for him to become a commander like his mentor Picard or a research doctor or scientist like his Mom.

The B story in this one is when Remmick starts poking his nose aboard the ship; he discovers Picard is a much better captain than expected. He convinces another friend of Wes's not to run away from his problems. We also discover that Picard was not successful after the first attempt on his Starfleet entrance exams.

The B story with Remmick jump-started what could have been an otherwise slow moving episode. It's too bad they killed him off in the "Conspiracy" episode. He played a good devils advocate and would have been a good foil for Picard when starship inspections came up.

Wesley takes the entrance exam for Starfleet Academy
The Enterprise orbits Relva VII while Wesley Crusher takes the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. In the grand traditions of Social Darwinism, there are four candidates contending for a single admissions slot: Wesley, a human female, a Vulcan female, and a Benzite male. Apparently this is either the only Vulcan to apply or for some reason she logically thought that she would have a better chance taking the test out in the boondocks. However, it turns out that even if these happen to be the four best candidates in the universe, it will not matter because one and only one of them will get to help make the galaxy safe. Meanwhile, back on the Enterprise, Admiral Quinn has beamed aboard with Lt. Commander Remmick from the Inspector General's office to conduct an investigation. Remmick ticks everybody off big time (especially Worf) with his pointed questions about Captain Picard's recent decisions in what proves to be a rather provocative critique of earlier episodes. Quinn confides to Picard that there is some sort of internal threat to the Federation. We will find out exactly what is rotten in the Federation down the road in "Conspiracy" (Episode 25), but we will not be impressed.

The problem with the character of Wesley Crusher was always two fold. First, even though we were proven wrong in the last episode in which he appeared, we always knew that even though he was a scientific prodigy, Wesley was going to grow up to be a great Starfleet Captain. Consequently, there was this whole inevitable destiny thing that was rather constraining to the character. Second, and more importantly, if you accept at face value the idea that Wesley is such a wunderkind, then how do you justify him remaining on board the Enterprise and not going directly to Starfleet Academy, do not pass go, do not collect 2 bars of gold pressed latinum? I always thought the best Wesley Crusher episodes were after he finally did head off to the Academy, and not just because it meant his appearances were less frequent. Ultimately, "Coming of Age" is the first season contrivance to keep Wesley in his place aboard the Enterprise. ... Read more

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This is the first of a two-part episode that opened DS9's third season, coming after a second-season-ending cliffhanger involving a villain potentially as devastating as the Borg. The Dominion controls Gamma Quadrant on the other end of the wormhole and is threatening to attack DS9 and the Federation, using the war-happy Jem'Hadar as its conquering force. Sisko, Odo, and the rest head off in a warship of their own to make contact with the Founders, the secretive leaders of the Dominion, to explain the Federation's peaceful intent. But when they are ambushed by the Jem'Hadar, Odo and Kira escape to follow Odo's sudden instinct that draws him to the Omarion Nebula--and his home planet. It's a well-written blend of action and sci-fi fantasy, mixing a complex set of plot lines and finding a way to bring them full circle in the second episode. Particularly solid is the use of the character of Odo, who is played touchingly by Rene Auberjonois. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

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Sisko gets the Defiant to play with and Odo finds his people
As the third season of Deep Space Nine begins Commander Sisko has a new toy to play with: a prototype warship named the Defiant. Instead of waiting for the Dominion to attack DS9, Sisko intends to take the ship into the Gamma Quadrant and try to locate the Founders, the supposed leaders of the Dominion and its Jem'Haddar soldiers. Although equipped with a Romulan cloaking device, the Defiant still ends up being boarded by the Jem'Haddar. Odo and Kira escape in a shuttle where the Constable reacts to a sudden urge and takes the ship to the Omarion Nebula where he discovers a colony of Changelings.

When last we left our merry little band of heroes at the end of Season Two, Sisko was intending to prepare DS9 for a Dominion invasion fleet coming through the worm hole. Yet here we are, taking the battle to the Gamma Quadrant, thereby saving the anticipated invasion for Part Two of this episode. Of course, the surprise appearance of the Changelings at the end turns out not to be totally unrelated to the threat of the Dominion. There is a sense in which "The Search" constitutes a new beginning for the series, since the threat of the Dominion will be an omni-present element from now until the final episode.

If the Dominion comes through the wormhole, we'll be ready..
The shocking season finale left Sisko stating that DS9 was the first line of defence from any attack force from the Gamma Quadrant and he intends to be ready for them!

A huge sub-space disturbance is picked-up well within weapons range, DS9 is placed on red alert with a possible Dominion invasion on hand... the strange disturbane turns out to be a cloaked ship, a cloaked FEDERATION ship, The Defiant - a new battleship that will lead the Starship presence in the Bajoran system.

In an attempt to find a pieceful solution to the Dominion threat Sisko takes the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant with the intention of finding out more information on this new threat - a more deadly cunning plot is revealed as Odo is attracted to a mysterious Nebula in the middle of Dominion space...

U.S.S. Defiant kicks!
I thought the Defiants first showing on DS9 was cool! It had wounderful action shots and was an edge of your seat ride from entering the unknown Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the GALAXY to find the Founders of the Dominion to woundering if the crew of DS9 would servive! ... Read more

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This episode concluded what amounted to a three-part story arc that began with episode 46, "The Jem'Hadar," a cliffhanger episode that ended DS9's second season and continued in episode 47, "The Search, Part I," the first installment of year three. Back on DS9 after a harrowing encounter with the Jem'Hadar, vicious warriors of the Dominion, Sisko and Dax find themselves blind-sided by the Federation's willingness to cave in to the Dominion and the Jem'Hadar on a treaty. Meanwhile, Kira tries to contact Sisko from Odo's home planet, while Odo receives his first exposure to his own people and their concept of the "great link" that connects all shapeshifters. This story provides a solid conclusion to the tale and sets up much of what comes in the next season, as the entire region becomes destabilized. It also offers real insight into Odo's life story, which is told for the first time. The DS9 part of the plot is particularly tricky, and the ending plays mind games with the viewer in ways that the average show would never dare. Still, the Dominion turns out to be a lot less forbidding than the Borg, the scariest Star Trek villain of all time. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

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Something of a false start to the big War with the Dominion
Odo discovers a whole lot about his mysterious past from the colony of Changelings he and Kira have discovered in the Gamma Quadrant. The Constable is also tantalized by references to the "Great Link," a merging ceremony unique to the Changelings. Meanwhile, Sisko and Bashir limp back to DS9 on a shuttle only to discover the Federation is negotiating a treaty with the Dominion. Sisko and company know this would be a fatal mistake and decide to take matters into their own hands. There is a fatal flaw with Part 2 of "The Search," which is simply that the conclusion basically undoes the entire episode. Consequently, this episode loses a star although the surprising revelation that the Changelings are the Founders and Sisko's decision to collapse the entrance to the wormhole are pretty good. Besides, DS9 had been building towards this big confrontation between the Federation and the Dominion that is suddenly pushed back to some time in the future. This is necessary because it would be hard to explore the various characters on the show while a war was being fought on the Promenade, but it does come across as something of a cheat.

A conclusion?
After the shocking end to the first episode Odo comes face to face with his own people. In the meantime the crippled Defiant makes its way back to DS9 once there the remaining crew find a Dominion negotiation party that are planning on brining a close to the Federation-Dominion problem. But Starfleet are terrified of this new threat and begin giving-in to the outrageous Dominion demands, Sisko can't stand by and allow the Dominion to make a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant so he decides to destroy the entrace to the wormhole, keeping the Jem'hadar on the other side of the galaxy. But before he can Starfleet threaten to prevent any attempt by Sisko... ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Starfleet's attempt
An exellent episode! Combining action with a good plot. You also get lots of good scenes of Starfleet headquaters and Earth in the 24th century. You even get to see Admiral Leyton in charge of starfleet and the president of the Federation.

Sisko uncovers yet another conspiracy in Starfleet
In "Homefront," the first part of this two-part storyline, Sisko learned the Changelings had infiltrated Earth and went with Odo to Earth to head up security. However, at the end of the episode the Federation President declared a state of emergency. Now Earth is under martial law, with security troops apparently on every street corner. However, Sisko is now suspicious about the series of events that led to the decision and "Paradise Lost" details how our hero ferrets out the truth. The mystery is rather average and I must admit to a prejudice against episodes where Starfleet goes fascist, especially when it is so darn easy to have a successful (in the short run) conspiracy. I guess I just have idealistic hopes for the future. Anyway, idea that oppression reigns on earth is pretty week and this ends up being an average DS9 episode.

A good conclusion to Homefront
This episode is a good and surprising conclusion to the previous, episode, Homefront. Sisko finds out that one of his friends has engineered the incident so the military will take control of Earth. Sisko must betray his friend, or betray what he knows is right. Meanwhile, the starship Defiant is heading towards Earth to reveal the conspiracy, when the Admiral informs another ship that the Defiant has been taken over by changelings. Will the Defiant be lost in the power strugle? This episode was superb and will remain a classic in the series ... Read more

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The Defiant helps the Jem'Haddar turn on some renegades
A Jem'Haddar raiding party steals equipment from DS9 and escapes into the wormhole with Sisko giving chase in the Defiant. When they locate a damaged Jem'Haddar warship, Sisko beams abaord six soldiers and their Vorta leader, Weyoun. From Weyoun they learn that the Dominion has discovered an Iconian gateway device (you might remember this from the "Contagion" episode of STNG), but that the scientists sent to investigate the gateway have rebelled. Weyoun wants Sisko's assistance in destroying the gateway and the renegade Jem'Haddar. Of course, the Federation cannot afford to have any Jem'Haddar in control of a intergalactic gateway, so Sisko agrees. "To the Death" is an average DS9 episode, where the action is halfway decent, but I have to admit that I do not understand what the Dominion is up to. We have been waiting about TWO YEARS for the Dominion to attack the Alpha Quadrant through the wormhole, and now all they send is a raiding party? Also, it seems too early in the game to turn the fierce Jem'Haddar soldiers, the killing machines who never sleep or eat, into drug addicted malcontents. I never understood the need to undo the blind obedience to the Founders idea; after all, it works for the Vortas. In the final analysis, this one gets four stars because of Weyoun, who is certainly the greatest sycophant in Star Trek history.

To the death... well 'til I'm tired!
Deep Space Nine is attacked by a group of Jem'hadar would steal some equipment and supplies. Sisko is outraged and takes the Defiant into the Gamma Quadrant to stop them, determined to send a message to the Founders that Starfleet will not stand-by and let Dominion ships go unpunished. Once in the Gamma Quadrant the Defiant finds a crippled Jem'hadar warship with a Vorta onboard, Weyoun.

Weyoun informs Sisko that the Jem'hadar that attacked DS9 are renegades and that they stole the equipment to make a powerful portal, utilizing ancient technology that allows them to transport to anywhere in the galaxy instantly. Thinking of Earth and how vulnerable it would be, Sisko teams up with the Jem'hadar in an attempt to take out these renegades before they fix the transporter.

Apparently these renegades are ruthless and want to rule the Dominion on there own, that is why Weyoun is after them, when they pick up sensor information that this portal is nearly fixed an attack is launched. Fighting side-by-side Sisko and Weyoun must destroy the portal... a bloody action-packed episode that sheds new light on the Jem'hadar society! ... Read more

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The Price of War
Built for War

Jeff McCarthy portrays a prisoner of a war long gone on planet Angosia. While Prime Minister Nayrok portrayed by James Cromwell; applies for Federation Membership, this guy is wreaking havoc aboard the Enterprise. The best scences were in the transporter room. When the prisoner disarms all the security with deadly precision.

It's a matter that Picard can't handle. He eventually escapes and causes a revolution on his home world.

How many wrongs does it take to make a right?
Exactly when does the Prime Directive kick in? The Enterprise is visiting Angosia, a planet that wants to join the Federation. While Picard meets with the Prime Minister, played by James Cromwell, there is a report a violent prisoner has escaped from the planet's penal colony. Although Angosia is only in the application process, Picard uses the Enterprise to capture the escapee and beam him aboard the ship. Counselor Troi is attracted to the prisoner, Roga Danar, who tells her how her was programmed by his government to be a super soldier, his body modified by drugs and his mind altered by psychological training. When the war was over Danar and his brethren could not be allowed back into polite society, they were carted off to a penal colony. When Picard demands an explanation from the Prime Minister, he is told quite pointedly that this is an internal matter and demands the return of the prisoner. Maybe Angosia is not ready to join the Federation.

Of course, if the Federation did a better job of investigating planets applying for membership they would probably discover all these deep dark secrets, but then we would not have all these fun Prime Directive episodes such as "The Hunted" where Picard flips a coin to see if he follows it or not. But once you get past the slightly flawed premise, this is an above average Next Generation episode. As I write this review we are recounting the recounted votes in Florida and I have to admit the idea of ethics in politics being a question of efficacy that we see there is very much present in this episode. The highpoint of "The Hunted" is when Danar attempts to escape from the Enterprise, proving exactly how good of a job the Angosians did in creating their race of super soldiers. Will the Captain of the Enterprise continue to play fast and loose with the Prime Directive or will the Prime Minister of Angosia be hoisted on our own Picard? ... Read more

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Made during the heyday of Hollywood anthology films (such as O. Henry's Full House and Tales of Manhattan), this meandering movie is wound around the adventures of a lowly classified-ad clerk (Burgess Meredith, who also produced) who plays roving "man on the street reporter" for a day. He asks the question, "What influence has a baby had on your life?" and gets a collection of comical responses. Hapless jazz musicians Henry Fonda and Jimmy Stewart mistake the word "baby" for "babe" and describe how a shapely trumpet-playing dish upended their lives, movie star Dorothy Lamour remembers how a child star turned an Iowa day player into a South Seas screen goddess, and Fred MacMurray tells a story suspiciously similar to "The Ransom of Red Chief." It's fun to see Fonda stumble and stammer through a slapstick performance and Lamour spoof her Polynesian Princess image, but it's a lightweight lark with only fitfully funny stories.

Officially credited to King Vidor and Leslie Fenton, it also received uncredited assistance from John Huston and George Stevens in the Fonda-Stewart story. None of them show much facility for slapstick and their styles never meld. The film lurches from one gag to another, only settling down for MacMurray's story, where his easy delivery and chemistry with future "My Three Sons" costar William Demarest overcomes the clumsy direction. Paulette Goddard also rises above her material in a small role as Meredith's sharp and sexy wife. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

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Hopefully O. Henry Got Some Royalties Off of This One
Known for being the only film Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda starred in together, I thought I'd check out "On Our Merry Way" for its historical significance. Unfortunately, it's not very good.

The film is split into three seperate stories tied together by a rather odd framing device. Burgess Meredith and Paulette Goddard play a married couple having monetary problems, with Meredith conning his way into a reporting job to earn extra cash. He then proceeds to interview three seperate sets of people, with the angle being the way in which a child has affected each of their lives. Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda are musicians that lose their band to a "babe", Dorothy Lamour is an actress contending with a spoiled child star (echos of Shirley Temple) and finally Fred McMurray fights a battle of wits with a 10 year-old holy terror.

The first segment is pretty dull, and Jimmy and Henry are not given much to do. The second story is a little better, with Lamour doing a nice musical number sending up her exotic image called "Queen of the Hollywood Isles". The last section is a blatant [take] of O. Henry's classic short story, "The Ransom of Red Chief", only stressful instead of funny. The framing device with Goddard and Meredith is the best part of the movie, due to the strong chemistry between them.

I recommend "On Our Merry Way" as a rental for hard-core Stewart or Goddard fans, otherwise it's not really worth your time. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Defiant in a showdown with two Jem-Haddar ships
The Karemma Commerce Ministry of the Gamma Quadrant is secretly negotiating with the Federation to conclude a trade agreement, but unfortunately Quark has been helping by making sure he makes a profit off of both sides. Then two Jem'Haddar warships show up to punish the Karemmans and end up crippling the Defiant which finds Kira on the bridge dealing with Sisko, who has a concussion, Dax and Bashir caught in a turbolift, and Worf in the engine room. So, basically what you have is the Defiant taking on the Jem'Haddar with one hand tied behind its back, metaphorically speaking. All this takes place in the atmosphere of a gas giant, so this episode is one of those Star Trek versions of an old World War II submarine movie, like "Balance of Power" from the original Trek with a bit of Next Generation's "Disaster" thrown in to make it even more interesting. But while "Starship Down" is not completely original, it is still an above average DS9 episode, since it does get into some of the tactical aspects of starship battle.