Another episode that shouldn't have happened. Hide and Q was a Q episode that shouldn't have happened, but in this episode, Q is the only thing legitimizing the episode.
The Enterprise is hosting an archeological lecture with Picard giving a speech for the archeological council. This episode is committing to Picard's primary hobby of archeology as The Nth Degree was committing to Crusher's play write hobby. After agonizing over his speech Troi tells him to get some sleep and when he goes to his room he finds a horga'hn and then Vash appears with a passionate kiss. I just didn't think Vash warranted seconds. Captain's Holiday was a decent episode and they should've just let it be.
She has tea with him the next morning. Although she gives no definite answers she allows him to think that she's on the archeological council. It's not awkward at first because she represents a wonderful memory to him. Of course that's usually the time he has breakfast with Beverly and that's when he starts to become flustered. He fumbles over introductions and is uncomfortable, but Beverly decides to just take over her company since Picard had never mentioned her and gives her a tour of the ship. Vash is disappointed to find out that he's never mentioned her to anyone. I honestly don't see why she's upset about this. Of course, it's not clear if she'd stayed in his quarters the night before, in which case she may have reason to complain, but it's too vague to tell. Everyone can tell that there is or at least has been more between them than just a professional relationship and they all find it intriguing to imagine their strong and self controlled captain having a secret love affair. And it really is a funny situation since Picard is so different from Kirk. And Picard just does his best to remain neutral to her presence.
At the reception she gets more explanations from everyone about how Jean Luc is a very private man as the reason they haven't heard of her. She finally confronts him and accuses him of being embarrassed by her. Like I said, I'm on Picard's side. It also illustrates a cultural 180... Women have classically been offended when they've had brief affairs and the man chooses to brag about it. I would think Picard staying silent would be appreciated by even a woman like Vash who one can assume isn't the marrying type and has probably used her wiles to gain other advantages with men in the past. Yet she expects Picard to have spoken about her as if she were his girlfriend or had been the love of his life. It makes her seem more conceited and immature than the victim of wrongdoing on Picard's part. I just don't understand the feminist culture's desire to "have it both ways." Anyway, this episode definitely needed direction and after their little spat Picard returns to his ready room to find Q. Q wants to do something nice for him after their last encounter where Q lost his powers and the Enterprise protected him. He gives Picard a genuinely tempting offer to take him to the ruins on the planet they're orbiting which have been closed off. When you see Picard's face light up at the thought of it, it's a wonderful moment... it shows he has a weak spot for something he's passionate about and it's very relateable, making him more endearing to fans. Still, he chooses to do the right thing and refuses this illegal offer. Q goes away for the moment but with the determination to find some way of repaying the kindness that was shown him. Q is so great. You know that even his attempts at being nice will only result in chaos and it's makes such fun anticipation.
Picard goes to Vash's quarters to apologize and finds her up to her old tricks of robbing dig sites. She has maps of the closed off ruins of the planet along with digging tools. Picard was swept into their last adventure by chance, but he makes it clear that he doesn't approve of this lifestyle. Again displaying what I see as immaturity, she is unapologetic about being who she is and they decide they have no more to say to each other. Naturally Q overhears all of this and then confronts Picard. First he offers to simply get rid of her, but Picard doesn't want to see her hurt. Q mistakes the protective impulse he shows as feelings of love and decides that he will repay his debt with her. When Picard is giving his speech the following day, the senior officers sitting in the back begin to experience puzzling wardrobe transformations.
The room then vanishes and they find themselves in a forest and cast as characters from Robin Hood. This really is some of the funniest stuff from the show and makes this episode worth watching. They're sure Q has done this but before they can discuss it further, they are quickly confronted by a nobleman. Worf attacks unsuccessfully and is wounded and then Q shows up as the Sheriff of Nottingham to confirm their guesses and explaining that Vash has been cast as Maid Marian and will be executed unless Picard as Robin Hood saves her. He also claims that the illusion has to play out on its own and that he doesn't control it.
The nobleman is Sir Guy of Gisbourne. We see him trying to court Vash's Marian and at first she's outraged, but then learns that she'll be executed unless she marries him. Self preservation kicks in and she decides to warm up to him and agree to marry him, much to Q's confusion and chagrin. He tries to persuade Sir Guy that she's playing him for a fool and he won't believe it.
Picard insists on rescuing Vash alone and it should've worked except Vash is still reacting childishly to their fight. She hands him over to Sir Guy as proof that she wants to marry him which makes Q's claims seem baseless. Q later discovers her writing a letter to his "merry men" to inform them that he is captured and needs them to rescue him. He is very intrigued by her behavior... her fierce independence and selfish intentions along with her duplicity in this turn on Sir Guy as well. She guesses who he is and is fascinated with him as well. She probably hopes that that fascination will stroke his ego into letting things go, but he decides instead to call the guards and tell Sir Guy of her deception putting her execution back on schedule, along with the execution of Picard/Robin Hood.
They fight like a married couple all the way to the "end." Picard can't believe that Q is just going to allow this execution to happen and there seems to be no signs that it will just end as his head is put down to be chopped off. But the rest of the crew reveal themselves as disguised crowd members and the swashbuckling antics begin. Vash is whisked up to the tower. It's a good tribute to the many Robin Hood stories over the years with the costumes being a nod to Errol Flynn's version. Crusher is thoroughly enjoying herself and I think it's great. Sadly, it was hard to find good still pictures of this episode. The crew had been practicing with their weapons and put up a rousing fight while Picard duels with Sir Guy up to the tower to find Vash. Picard then asks Q to end it and they have a brief discussion in which Q asserts that love brought out the worst in Picard while Vash claims it brought out the best. I think this is over analyzing poor Picard. He didn't deserve this and even though he and Vash appear to be on good terms again after this adventure, it's ultimately pointless.
But it's packaged in the story that what Q did proved to Vash that Picard still cared for her,which the audience could never have doubted anyway since Picard didn't just plant his seed irresponsibly all over the galaxy like Kirk. Q then appears and we see that Vash has decided to throw in with him since he can take her to all kinds of places... legal or not. It is definitely fitting that she ends up with him - a scoundrel for a scoundrel. Q gives them a moment to kiss goodbye and that's that.
All in all it's a good Q episode. The humor is natural, not forced and it outweighs the absurdity of the character of Vash and her relationship with Picard. It's not a four star episode, but even though it's not a favorite, I can't rate it very low either because it's still a lot of fun and a nice break from weightier episodes. I think three and a half stars is fitting.
No comments:
Post a Comment