This episode wants to have its ghost cake and science eat it too. Hopefully that terrible analogy will make a little sense. Basically they want to tell a straightforward ghost story but not actually have to have magic and or ghosts as a thing. Tell me these aren't the elements of a ghost story: a haunted candle, a change of eye color caused by a ghost lover, a ghost lover across generations, and space Scotland. They even have fog show up on the bridge of the Enterprise for Gene's sake!
The episode opens with Dr. Crusher attending her grandmothers funeral. A man she doesn't recognize throws her grandmothers favorite flower on the grave but disappears before she can talk to him. After the funeral Troi and Crusher talk about the man and head to the grandmothers house together. Picard meets with the head of the colony about their terraforming efforts and agrees to work with him to improve the system. At the house Troi notices a picture of the grandmother and remarks on her stunning green eyes, Crusher replies that all the women in her family other than her and her mother have had those green eyes. Troi leaves but soon after a man enters the house and startles Beverly. His name is Quint and he has been taking care of her grandmother for many years. She isn't happy to have him barging in, but before he can leave he warns her to not light the heirloom candle that has been in her family for generations.
Back on the ship Beverly meets with Jean Luc to talk about her grandmother. She was startled to learn that she had a 34 year old lover named Ronin who seems to have made her extremely happy. That night after lighting the candle Beverly has an intense dream about being caressed by a man she doesn't know. Geordi works with the colonists to improve their weather management system, but something seems to be wrong and a massive storm is brewing. Down on the planet Quint warns Beverly again about lighting the candle and claims the ghost is responsible for the storm. She of course ignores him and returns to the house. She hears movement but doesn't see anyone. Suddenly she has an intense headache and there is someone there. It is Ronin who recognizes her and explains he is a ghost from Scotland and has been with the women of her family since the 17th century. Beverly tells him to stop by he tells her she is going to merge with him.
The next day Beverly is back on the ship and seems happier than ever. Something is wrong on the ship and there is fog on the bridge for some reason. It turns out Quint has been messing with the energy transfer beam to the colony but before they can stop him he dies of mysterious causes. Beverly tries to talk to Ronin about Quint death but he clearly has some power over her and manages to move the conversation away. Next we see her in Scottish garb about to beam to the planet. Picard tries to stop her but she tells him she has resigned her commission. He notices her green eyes by lets her go. He does follow her down to the planet though and finds her in her grandmothers house. He insists on talking to Ronin who finally appears but refuses to answer Picards questions. Data and Geordi are working to exhume her grandmothers body since it is infused with dangerous radiation. Ronin stuns Picard and rushes off to stop them. Beverly confronts him in the graveyard and destroys the candle. He tries to enter her for safety but she blasts him with a phaser. Later she admits to Troi she kinda regrets it because her grandmothers journal made it clear she was happy with Ronin.
Review: I would have enjoyed this more probably if they had just gone TOS and let Ronin be a ghost. Making him sort sort of energy alien only raises further questions. I actually enjoyed this more than I expected even if it isn't a really great episode.
6 out of 10
Happy Thanksgiving!
No comments:
Post a Comment