The Golden Age of Star Trek: we had the 6th Season of The Next Generation and the 1st Season of Deep Space Nice on our televisions, Generations on view in our cinemas and First Contact due out soon. This season of TNG contains some excellent stand-alone episodes and several spectacular two-parters, with only the occasional make-weight. Despite the length of time it had already been on the air, it still represents some of the highest standard of television Science Fiction ever broadcast.
Undoubtedly Marina Sirtis's best episode of the series, Face of the Enemy has Troi performing undercover aboard a Romulan ship. Not only is she fully kitted out with alien ears, eyebrows, "Sally Bowles" wig and upholstery fabric uniform but she has become a member of the Tal Shiar, the feared secret police of an extremely paranoid enemy. Of course, being Deanna, she was secretly rendered unconscious and placed in this situation against her will but we are going to have to overlook that if we are to enjoy her tour de force in this highly entertaining espionage story.
The first time I saw this episode and heard her shout "THIS gives me the authority" while indicating the badge on her collar, I almost flinched. Why did we not get storylines like this way back when? What have we been missing? Does the tape of Marina auditioning for the part of the Enterprise's Security Chief still exist somewhere?
Barry Lynch, as the returning traitor, Ensign de Seve, gives quite a subtle performance that has echoes of the Cold War: a weary, homesick double agent who knows he can never again be trusted but must do something useful one last time. It's a real pity that he has to do it in ill-fitting, brown woollen long johns and a nylon platinum-blond wig. Carolyn Seymour, as the Romulan Captain Toreth, is wonderful as always and Scott McDonald will return to Star trek with an important role in Enterprise.
Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5.
Undoubtedly Marina Sirtis's best episode of the series, Face of the Enemy has Troi performing undercover aboard a Romulan ship. Not only is she fully kitted out with alien ears, eyebrows, "Sally Bowles" wig and upholstery fabric uniform but she has become a member of the Tal Shiar, the feared secret police of an extremely paranoid enemy. Of course, being Deanna, she was secretly rendered unconscious and placed in this situation against her will but we are going to have to overlook that if we are to enjoy her tour de force in this highly entertaining espionage story.
The first time I saw this episode and heard her shout "THIS gives me the authority" while indicating the badge on her collar, I almost flinched. Why did we not get storylines like this way back when? What have we been missing? Does the tape of Marina auditioning for the part of the Enterprise's Security Chief still exist somewhere?
Barry Lynch, as the returning traitor, Ensign de Seve, gives quite a subtle performance that has echoes of the Cold War: a weary, homesick double agent who knows he can never again be trusted but must do something useful one last time. It's a real pity that he has to do it in ill-fitting, brown woollen long johns and a nylon platinum-blond wig. Carolyn Seymour, as the Romulan Captain Toreth, is wonderful as always and Scott McDonald will return to Star trek with an important role in Enterprise.
Senior Trekker scores every episode with a 5.