monkee reviews 'North Star'
First Impression: My expectations were too high, I suppose, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.
Westerns: It's not the episode's fault, though. I discovered, while watching this, that I really just don't LIKE westerns! The guns and the machismo don't do anything for me, and I can live without seeing people twitching on the end of a rope. I've enjoyed Trek's previous western efforts: TNG's 'A Fistful of Datas' had that wonderful fish-out-of-water Klingon angle going for it, and TOS's 'Spectre of the Gun' was surreal and quirkily charming. 'North Star' was well done, and the story was solid – it's just not my cup of tea. Or shot glass of Skagaran whiskey. Whichever.
If I'm to be an unbiased reviewer, though, I can't punish the episode for being a genre I don't like, so on with the review!
The Oppressors become the Oppressed: The story had a neat little science-fiction theme at the heart of it: in the late 1800's, an alien species, the Skagarans, kidnapped some westerners from Earth, and brought them to this distant planet because they needed workers to help them build a colony. The plan backfired, though, when the humans revolted, and turned the tables on them. Now there are six thousand humans, and the Skagarans are in the minority and denied basic rights and privileges. Archer, T'Pol and Trip don't know that at first, though. They have gone undercover to figure out the mystery of a human colony in the Expanse. They discover the truth gradually, and this was done well.
Total Stagnation: I'm a Star Trek fan, and I'm used to suspending my disbelief, but I had a lot of trouble accepting this part. The human colony is still mired in a pre-industrial state. Why? I know six thousand is a small sample, and they were distracted by the whole Skagaran thing, but puh-lease! Didn't anyone ever look up at the sky and think it would be cool if they could fly? Didn't anyone listen to the stories of the Skagarans advanced technology and want to develop some of that for themselves? I mean, NO progress in two hundred and fifty years? That's not logical! And it isn't just technological stagnation, either. They're still hanging people without a trial! You like to think that a bit more enlightenment might have crept in over the years.
The Sheriff and the Deputy: Or maybe it's not so much a lack of enlightenment as it is a lack of a willingness to change. "I'm not saying it's fair," Sheriff MacReady tells Archer, "it's just the way it's always been." He only wants to ensure that the Skagarans don't reclaim the upper hand on his watch. The humans on the planet today weren't even alive when the Skagarans were ruling – they've only heard the horror stories, and we all know how those can be exaggerated over time. Sheriff 'Mac' is actually decent folk, and he does his best to keep the Skagarans from being mistreated. On the other hand, there's Deputy Bennings, who abuses Skagarans for sport. He's bad news, and if the lynching and cruelty weren't enough to convince us, he also leers at Bethany in her cell, a sure Trek indicator that he's unredeemable.
Bethany: Ah, Bethany. A pioneer woman with a heart of gold, and a schoolteacher to boot! You had to know she'd turn up at some point. Well, she does, and Archer recognizes a kindred spirit when he sees one. He accompanies her to the Skagaran settlement, and learns the truth from her students, Skagaran children that she is teaching illegally at night. Bennings was following them, though, and arrests Bethany, then Archer when he tries to intervene. Sheriff MacReady gives Archer an hour to leave town. He uses part of his hour to bust Bethany out of her cell. As they're fleeing, Bennings fires at them, and Bethany is hit. In full view of half the town, Archer has himself and Bethany beamed up to the ship. Oh dear.
The Standard Shootout: While Phlox tends the injured Bethany, Archer returns to the surface in a shuttle with Reed, T'Pol and a bunch of MACOs. He's decided that these humans have a right to know that Earth hasn't forgotten them, and will come with ships eventually to rescue them. His conversation with the Sheriff goes well – like I said, Sheriff Mac is decent folk. "A part of me never believed Earth existed," he tells Archer. "I thought it was something they made up because they couldn't stand living here." Unfortunately, Bennings has rounded up some henchmen (you KNEW there had to be henchmen) and the obligatory gunfight breaks out. And I suppose the fisticuffs and gunshots were required, but you have to wonder...Archer has a big, honking STARSHIP in orbit – wasn't there a more creative solution to the mess? Maybe he doesn't have the wide-beam stun option that future starships will have, but I'll bet Kirk would have thought of something! No matter, though. Eventually, the good guys win, and all is right with this world. We hope.
A Schoolteacher with a Vision: Back on Enterprise, Bethany looks out the viewport at the planet below, mourns her people's lack of progress, and wonders if they even deserve to return to Earth. Archer assures her that by the time Earth ships are able to get there, they'll be ready. And with her wisdom and guidance, perhaps they will. Something about this scene hit me right here (monkee points to her heart). I don't know if it was a deliberate homage to Christa McAuliffe, another brave schoolteacher with a vision, but that's how I saw it. Nice.
Cooper Smith: Hero or Butcher? In the town bar hangs a picture of Cooper Smith, the man who led the revolt all those years ago. The townspeople look upon him as a hero. The Skagarans call him 'The Butcher.' Will peace descend upon this planet, now that they know the broader picture? Will the colonists be ready when it's time? It depends on them. You have to hope that the majority consists of people like Bethany and MacReady, already teaching the kids about Earth's progress as the episode ends. I have to wonder, though, about all the Bennings running around down there. The forces of self-righteousness and machismo can be pretty powerful.
My goodness – how pessimistic of me. Sorry. I shouldn't write these reviews right after I've read the morning paper. Bad monkee!
The Lighter Side: It was heaps of fun to see the characters in western garb. Archer and Trip both looked darned good in cowboy hats! Archer played the role of 'mysterious stranger' quite well. "Name's Archer." Hee. And I just knew I'd love the scene from the preview with Trip, T'Pol and the horse. It didn't disappoint! My very favorite comic scene, however, was the one in which one of the henchmen takes T'Pol hostage. "Stay back! I'll kill 'er!" he shouts at Reed. Reed calmly stuns T'Pol, shrugs at the guy, and stuns him too! Keating played this perfectly! Hahahaha!
Quibble: It was hilarious, and I wouldn't want the scene taken out, so this is just a picky observation. Vulcans are STRONG! Yes, even Vulcan women! And T'Pol is a Vulcan MARTIAL ARTS EXPERT! I'm getting tired of seeing her look weak and helpless! One of these weeks, I'd like to see her put a serious hurt on some bad guy!
Two Brothers from Ohio! monkee's state gets a mention as Bethany tells the children about the Wright brothers. They were, of course, from Ohio, the 'birthplace of aviation.' It's on our quarter – you can look it up!
'shipper Watch: If circumstances were different, Archer and Bethany have a lot in common. Maybe someday. I liked Bethany, and wouldn't mind seeing her again sometime, maybe towards the end of the series. Trip and T'Pol, of course, had the cute horse scene together. I liked their rapport this week. There's plenty of fuel for the fanfic writers. Reed will have to apologize to T'Pol for shooting her. And for the Archer/Reed fans out there – Reed started the big gunfight when he felt Archer was in danger. Kinda sweet, in a macho, 'shippy kind of way...if you're into reading way between the lines!
Archer Watch: Oh dear. Well, once again, his good and noble intentions worked out okay in the end. But for someone who was just trying to get 'the lay of the land,' he sure interfered in a hurry and in a big way! His interference could have backfired so badly, though, and it might have been more interesting if it had. Bethany, who was a quarter Skagaran, could have had a fatal reaction to being transported. Or – and actually, I expected this to happen, or at least start to happen – Bennings could have led a posse into the Skagaran colony to kill every man, woman and child before Archer got back down to the surface. But no, all's well that ends well. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Archer is the luckiest SOB in the galaxy! Still, I enjoyed his interactions with Bethany and Sheriff Mac. There's no denying that he's a good guy. I just think that sometimes he could be a bit more prudent...
Best Lines:
"Do you have any experience riding these animals?" "I've seen every John Ford Western." "Who?" "Look, how hard can it be?" (Trip and T'Pol)
"Better hold on!" (Trip, to T'Pol, before the horse shuffles slowly into motion)
"Do you think I could get some more coffee before you shoot him?" (Archer, breaking up a potentially bad situation in the bar)
"Well, Mr. Archer, you could learn a thing or two about manners." (Bennings, to Archer. Hahahaha!)
"You're judging them based on something that happened two hundred years ago." "And it's my job to make sure it never happens again." (Archer and MacReady)
"Do ye not know a JAILBREAK when you see one?" (an outraged Scotty, to Kirk, McCoy and Spock. Oops, wrong series!)
"Where I come from, it's called a jailbreak." "That's what it's called here, too" (Archer and Bethany)
"These are volatile and suspicious people. Your disappearance may have consequences." (T'Pol, to Archer. Gee, YOU THINK?)
"Drop that – whatever it is!" (Bennings, to Archer)
"We've moved past things like intolerance and prejudice." (Archer, to MacReady. From his lips to God's ears...)
"You must think we're barbaric. All the things humanity has accomplished...building ships like this...traveling to new worlds...and we're still down there shooting at each other." (Bethany, to Archer)
Rating: You know, just writing this review, I've come to like the episode more. And it was certainly different and creative. I'll go with a 9/10.
Next Week: SHAMELESS use of 'Amazing Grace' in the preview! Shameless, I tell you! Oh my God, Trip is DEAD! AND he kissed T'Pol, AND they had a baby! Or not. We'll have to wait and see. It looks like a good one, though, misleading promo or not. God bless November sweeps!
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