What’s truly fascinating about modern America, is how much emphasis we put upon making sure that everyone in our country knows who our enemies are, and what they are all about. Because somehow, we believe that being knowledgeable in that manner, makes us a stronger and more unified country when in reality, it doesn’t do a whole lot. If anything, it makes for fine storytelling since creative minds can come up with tales where we are challenged by the might of those we hate. But the fact of the matter is, we simply go about our lives and leave the big worries about our enemies to those in charge and that is equally as problematic, for several reasons. Because as we’ve seen in the past twenty years, when the wrong people grab hold of that message, they fear-monger and rally for unnecessary war and their cries are sometimes echoed by the wrong people as well.
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Which leads to an endless cycle of hate and prejudice and the next thing you know, sour views of other cultures become a generational tradition. And truly the problem with this line of thinking, is the sheer fact that it is silly and unnecessary. For our enemies are not monsters, just human beings that think differently than us, and neither side has taken the time to properly learn about one another and realize that both sides, want a lot of the same things out of life and live in a similar manner. Which means that perhaps the true answer to peace is coming to that particular understanding and whether or not we will get there in our lifetimes in anyone’s guess. In fact, our views of our enemies are so engrained in our hearts and minds that we believe this kind of problem will extend into our future, since we see this kind of conflict in stories about tomorrow as well and oddly enough, this problem and its potential solutions are engrained in the fabric of the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

For ‘The Enemy’ sees the crew of the Enterprise arrive at a hostile world known as Galorndon Core to answer a distress call and what the away team discovers while on surface of this inhospitable world, is quite shocking and it’s also what kicks off this grand exploration. For it turns out that a Romulan scout ship crash landed on this world and two of its officers are in dire straits for certain and well, what comes after that discovery is what makes this episode so worth our while. Since it wastes no time in putting our current world views of our enemies on display, by way of quite the twist involving Lieutenant Worf. For the injured Romulan officer that is beamed aboard is in dire need of care and a transfusion of ribosomes to heal the damage this planet causes to one’s nervous system and Worf is the only viable donor. But Worf refuses to offer up what his cells are carrying, even when Captain Picard begs him to help, out of the kindness of his heart. Simply because he cannot bring himself to help a man that represents everything that he hates, and that same disdain is sent his way since the officer in question, more or less refuses that kind of help before he dies and well, their actions really do a fine job of reminding us that when certain people fully buy into the hate, not even kindness or karma can get them to veer away from the vitriol in their veins.  

Which seems counterintuitive to what we spoke to earlier. Since there was mention of the solution to this kind of prejudice by way of taking the time to understand and recognize our similarities instead of our differences and that thankfully was handled by Geordi’s journey in this tale. For he spent most of his time on the planet, with the other lost officer, as his prisoner and well… it doesn’t take long for Geordi to realize that pointing weapons at one another and offering bluster about whose side is better is pretty counterproductive when you’re trapped on a desolate world that is slowly degrading your mental state. And after some heart to heart moments with this officer, Geordi finally gets him to realize that they both want one thing out of life that doesn’t involve the politics of the United Federation of Planets or the Romulan Star Empire, in that; they both want to live. And that unity and teamwork is the best way to make that happen and that leads to quite the incredible moment. Where a Romulan and a human put aside their differences to work toward a common cause, and the subtlety and simplicity of this is powerful for certain and the wonder of this moment and its message doesn’t end there.
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Because as Geordi is dealing with this, Picard is dealing with some serious brinksmanship aboard the Enterprise. For a wily and bold Commander named Tomalak has violated the Neutral Zone to get his men back and well, news of the death of one of his officers will likely bring about war between the Federation and the Romulan Empire once again. But thankfully, Geordi’s actions on the planet and Picard's push to show Tomalak that no harm was intended, along with word from the surviving officer that he was treated well, keeps things from ending badly and that is another wonderful way to get the message/commentary across here. Because it serves as the anthesis to Worf’s storyline, by pointing out to the audience that it takes people like Picard and Geordi, and their understanding of the bigger picture, to bring about change between two bitter enemies. For they are the ones who know that kindness and goodwill can and will put an end to hostilities and that we need more people who share in that line of thinking in positions of power all around the world, so that more open minds can finally see and understand that we are all in this together and that perhaps pooling our resources will accomplish the wonders we all dream of.

If anything, this really is one incredible tale. Simply because it has so much to say about our modern world. For everything that we see here; excessive disdain and distrust of other cultures, and brinksmanship and posturing by military commanders, are things that are still happening in 2020. Which is not an indictment or an insult upon our current world by any means. Instead putting this relevant bit here, serves as a call to arms. One that really does ask us to look within and ponder upon whether or not this is who we are and who we want to be and that’s really what the Star Trek Universe is all about, celebrating what we could be if we applied ourselves. But while the social commentary is effective in its own right, another reason this episode is so compelling is that its production values are simply top notch. The writing, the editing, the acting and the action, all of it is just magnificent here and that allows for this story to grab hold of you and never once let go and well, thus far, this is the finest that season three has offered up to date in regard to this re-watch and that’s quite stunning, when one considers that even better stories await us down the line. Until next time.     

Over the course of our long and illustrious time on this planet, mankind has indeed achieved wonders untold in just about every way imaginable. But while it is easy to talk about how we’ve conquered diseases and reached the stars and even figured out how to put the compendium of human knowledge in the hands of people around the globe with a simple electronic device, we don’t talk enough about our societal accomplishments and there is good reason for that. Simply because, despite being able to organize our world around massive and efficient cities and push for others to enjoy freedom and prosperity, we still have a long way to go in finding some measure of true equality for all the people of the world.

Because we still judge people based upon their appearance, and the color of their skin and their sexual orientation or gender identity and we are only now beginning to properly have discussions about how that needs to end since we are all one. But while those discussions are important to have to carve a path forward for a better tomorrow, there are still others who are marginalized out there that need to be included in these conversations consistently; such as people with disabilities. Because these fine people often find themselves under scrutiny for not quite fitting in with the norm that society has laid out and that’s unfortunate. Since they too deserve respect and equality, and that’s why last night’s broadcast of a series entitled CripTales is so important and poignant during this time of social unrest.

For this collection of monologues, written and directed and performed by people with disabilities chronicles the experiences that the disability community have dealt with over the past sixty years and these stories were quite frankly, eye opening and shocking. Because these vignettes did an incredible job of chronicling the powerful prejudice and judgment that people with disabilities face on a regular basis because everything that is presented here is raw and honest and that leaves the viewer uncomfortable for all the right reasons. For some of these stories really do put the ugliness and cruelty we sometimes exhibit, in the spotlight, and it definitely gives the viewer pause since these unfortunate stories help to remind us of how much further we need to go as society.

But while it is supremely important to reflect upon how we can be better as a society in regard to how we treat others, this show truly shined when it took the time to remove the overall stigma surrounding people with disabilities. For these vignettes really did a phenomenal job of showing the audience that people with disabilities aren’t different or the butt of a joke or anything in that manner. They’re human beings, and hearing about the hopes and dreams and desires of the people featured in these stories, hammered that point home by drawing us into some powerful experiences. The kind that were instantly relatable and that made this show quite moving at times. In fact, ‘Thunderbox’, outright brought this reviewer to tears with the story it told and at this point, you’ve probably noticed that our mention of that specific vignette, is the only real reference to any details from this incredible special and there is good reason for that.

Because simply rehashing the moments present here would do this series of stories a grave injustice. For the emotion and gravity and wonder present within each of them makes for a unique viewing experience. One that truly allows for the viewer to learn about an aspect of life that they likely know little to nothing about and BBC America deserves praise for bringing this to the airwaves. Because truly, the only way we can ever understand one another, is by taking the time to hear the stories and struggles and the celebrations of our brethren and this show accomplishes that to a tee. And if by chance you missed the original broadcast of this brilliant collection of powerful stories, swing by BBC America’s website and give this a well-deserved look.  

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 109 of ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’.

If there is one solid lesson that the Star Trek Universe has done a phenomenal job of hammering home for its audience, it would have to be that technology has the potential of becoming quite dangerous. Because time and time again, we’ve seen good people in this rich and sprawling universe, deal with individuals who have opted to tweak technology in an unwholesome and irresponsible manner. And that’s led to the rise of computers that decide that bloodshed is their only course of action in dealing with humanity, or we’ve seen devices as simple as the holodeck, woefully malfunction and give rise to powerful simulations that feel the need to exert their power of the crew of a starship, or we’ve simply seen people get lost within the incredible escape they offer.

But surprisingly, rather than explore that particular concept in a satirical manner, as Star Trek: Lower Decks is wont to do; this week’s episode of the show took a far more fascinating look at the power of technology in the 24th Century. In that, ‘Crisis Point’, pondered upon how technology in this era can actually be quite healthy and good for the people that serve aboard starships. A notion that came to the forefront of this story by way of another unfortunate incident involving Ensign Beckett Mariner. For she once again violated the Prime Directive by motivating a race of lizards to rise up against their oppressive rat leaders. But rather than toss her daughter into the brig for the billionth time, Captain Freeman decided perhaps the best way to handle her problem child; was by ordering her daughter into therapy and that’s where our healthy exploration of technology got underway.

Because shortly after her first session with a food obsessed ship’s counselor, Mariner joined her friends in the holodeck for a little downtime. And once Boimler fired up his detailed simulation of the ship’s crew as part of an attempt to understand how to kiss up to the captain better; Mariner saw an opportunity to seize control of this new program, in order to conduct her own brand of therapy. An act that of course horrified Boimler to no end and rightfully so. For Mariner’s reprogramming of this simulation brought to life a Wrath of Khan-esque homage, where she was able to play the villain as a way to express her repressed anger toward her mother and that led to some surprisingly powerful moments for certain. Because we came to learn that Mariner has a lot of deep-rooted frustrations about her life and her career in Starfleet and she used violence to seemingly deal with all of that, something that concerned Tendi to no end, to the point where she simply walked away from the fight. 

But while that makes it seem as though this is another example of how technology is used in the wrong manner in the future, once Beckett faced off against her mother and was able to express her feelings and frustrations, things surprisingly took a turn for the healthy. For a digital doppelgänger of Mariner came forth to save mom, and facing her digital self, prompted Mariner to ponder aloud about the nature of her anger and why she often acts in such a reckless manner and well… this led to some fascinating revelations and epiphanies for Mariner. Since she was quick to reveal that a lot of her saucy actions are a direct result of not being recognized or respected by her mother and that acting out in a rebellious manner is the only way she can garner her mother’s attention. But more importantly, she admitted to the fact that she screws up often because that’s how people perceive her, and that deep down she’s actually quite the fan of Starfleet and what it has to offer and in order to break this toxic cycle, she needs to start believing in herself and her abilities.

Which was… magnificent to hear and learn from Mariner since she’s been struggling with these demons all season long and well, in the end, the holodeck helped her heal, lending credence to this week’s underlying lesson. But while that is quite the uplifting storyline for Ensign Mariner, make no mistake about it; this episode still offered up plenty of laughs and plenty of satire. Because Beckett’s Khan-esque revenge plot allowed for a lot of black humor to come to the surface of this story and of course, the homages to the TOS film franchise this sequence featured, also helped to bring about some chuckles, since they celebrated and satirized some iconic movie moments in a delightful manner. In the end however, this wonderful episode really does leave one eager to see where the story is headed next. Because a focused Mariner is a game changer for certain, as is the fact that Ensign Boimler has uncovered Beckett’s secret and real relationship to Captain Freeman, and you know it is only going to be a matter of time before he spills those beans and that should allow for some serious drama to come forth; in next week’s season one finale.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Tehran’.
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When one thinks of a spy drama, a specific set of images and expectations come to mind. Such as epic action and adventure, the kind that features death defying stunts and incredible explosions. Plus, one immediately thinks of colorful villains that have grand plans to take over the world, and kickass gadgets that allow for our intrepid spy to accomplish wonders and beat the odds. And all of that pops into our minds simply because the genre has done a phenomenal job of providing us with high octane stories that feature all of those elements. But there are some spy stories out there that focus on far different elements storytelling wise, such as the new AppleTV+ spy series; Tehran.
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For this particular tale leaves all of those tropes and clichés behind, replacing them instead with things that you just don’t find in the genre. Such as character development and moments to catch our breath, and for concrete proof that this series is a game-changer for the genre, then look no further than its third episode. For ‘Yasamin’s Girl’ does everything we just discussed, since it takes the time to finally tone down some of the high yield tension that’s been present from the get-go. All by having Tamar spend a little time with her family. Because it turns out that her aunt was actually okay with Tamar spending a day or two in her home, despite the sorted past present in this family’s history. And that allowed for Tamar and the audience to catch their breath and process this incredible story and get to know Tamar a little better, and what we learned was quite fascinating.

For it turns out that Tamar and her mother and father hail from Iran but decided after the revolution that the time had come to forge a better life in a different land. And unfortunately, the decision to leave Tehran and start over elsewhere, split the family down the middle. With Tamar’s Aunt staying behind while she grew up in Israel. Plus, we also came to learn that Tamar is not a traditional spy by any means. Because the bitter fury that is present in so many other spies in the genre is just not present within her soul, which explains why she left The Eagle behind in the last episode. And what matters most, is that she isn’t obsessed with the mission or other such things as her silver screen counterparts. She’s a person that has hopes and dreams and talents like the rest of us and this segment really did make for quite the fascinating character study, one that really did help us to understand what kind of person Tamar truly is.

However, while it was delightful to take a break and relax for a moment, this is still a spy series and a lack of tension or any progression of the plot would be a crime for certain. But thankfully the series found a way to inject that into the fabric of this tale, by having Tabrizi and Faraz play a little cat and mouse game with Tamar. For both men were eager to find her for different reasons and neither of them were successful in their endeavors. Because Tamar was able to blend in and forge her own path in this story. Since she worked with and met with Sick Boy to secure a passport out of town, and she even managed to observe a riot from afar as part of this overall plan to secure an escape on her own terms and well, for her efforts… neither the IRGC or The Eagle were able to capture her, but that doesn’t meant she’s out of danger just yet.

Because unfortunately, her cousin spotted her at the riot, and since she and her friends dealt with embarrassment there, they wanted some measure of payback and they may in fact, get it. For in the closing moments of this tale, Tamar found herself surrounded by a heavy number of angry people, and it should be interesting to see if she can settle this mess in a peaceful manner, or if fists are going to need to fly. But in the here and the now, it’s best we celebrate one quality tale. One that really did a phenomenal job of changing things up pacing wise, and really it just goes to show that Tehran is going to be quite the versatile series. One that can tell whatever kind of story it wishes to while still captivating us, thanks to its dynamic characters and unique setting and well, once again, this show found a way to keep us hooked with that tense cliffhanger. Which means that this reviewer will be counting down the minutes to tomorrow’s new episode. To see exactly how Tamar is going to get out of this particular mess. Until next time.