The Host would seem like another random alien of the week shows if not for DS9 featuring another Trill character and digging in more deeply into their culture. The timelines don't actually work all that well in terms of Dr. Crusher having no knowledge of the Trill while Sisko was presumably off having adventures with Dax. But I guess maybe that knowledge is the kind of thing they only tell close friends or something like that. Also going from weird head lumps to dots on the sides of the head is a makeup change I don't have any real problems with.
The episode opens with Dr. Crusher making out with the Trill ambassador Odan in a turbolift until their are interrupted by Data. Odan is on his way to try and solve a dispute between two moons of a planet that are nearly at war with each other and Data is working on a technical solution to the problem. Crusher and Odan both make excuses and manage to slip away from Data for more fun time in Odan's quarters. They are both called to a sudden meeting, the representative of the planet below the moons has intercepted them, the situation is growing urgent. The outer moon is apparently taking energy from the magnetic field of the planet which is making the inner moon unlivable and both sides are preparing for war over the issue. Odan agrees to go down to the planet to negotiate but insists on taking a shuttle.
Odan brings Crusher a rose before Riker flies him down to the planet in the shuttle, but on their way they are attacked. The shuttle is falling apart but Riker manages to drag it back in without needing to beam Odan around. (I think refusing to beam is another thing about the Trill the changed for the better.) Odan's body is failing but his symbiont (I don't think they use that word in this episode) is fine and needs a new host. Riker volunteers and he becomes the new Odan. Beverley doesn't deal well with this change and at first is nothing but cold with him. He does however need constant medical supervision as humans aren't really suitable Trill hosts.
Odan manages to get both sides to negitiate with him and even Beverley gives in and goes to his quarters. They are still in love, but if they don't get a new Trill host soon both Riker and Odan are in trouble. After a marathon negotiating session the war is averted by Odan is totally done. The new host arrives just in time, but there is a complication, it is a woman. This is too much for Beverley and after completing the surgery she admits to Odan that she meant a lot to her, but that she has to move on.
Review: The first ten minutes of this episode had me convinced I wasn't going to like it, but all the sloppy romance paid off as Odan continued to change bodies through the course of the episode. Not quite the final version of Trill, but a fun way to get them introduced. I can see why DS9 decided to revisit them.
6 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment