Story: Basics, Part II
Written By: Michael Piller
Series: Star Trek: Voyager
Year: 1996
“Basics, Part II” is only slightly better than the first installment. Instead of yelling at our dumb characters for blindly walking into a very obvious trap, this time most are forced to learn to survive on a planet with a primitive society, a man-eating cave eel-monster, and several volcanic eruptions. The story is dull; it barely shows anything of our characters except the “can they survive without their tech?” plot. They defeat the eel-monster by causing a cave-in and they are able to finally make peace with the primitive culture by saving one of their people from the flowing lava. It is tolerable, but forgettable for the most part.
The more interesting story is in the taking back of Voyager. It is up to the Doctor and Suder to take back the ship, which his not the ideal situation. The Doctor is unfortunately still confined only to sickbay. Suder is struggling with his new inner peace…and his unfortunate need to kill again (to take back the ship)…something he was hoping to never have to do again. He is torn between wanting to help save the ship and wanting to change his sociopath ways. It is a captivating storyline, especially considering how good his introduction in “Meld” was. But Suder and the Doctor manage to overcome the Kazon with the help of Paris and the Talaxians as an outside force.
The surviving Kazon are forced to abandon ship, including Culluh and Seska’s child…but Seska, many Kazon, and Suder are all killed in the battle for Voyager. Luckily, we are done with the whole Seska thing. As interesting an idea as I thought her character was, the execution was sub-par at best. From what I understand this is also the last real appearance the Kazon (I guess there are a few really minor appearances and references post-Basics but nothing of consequence). Almost everyone but Michael Piller admit were a failure…not to mention how long are they going to be in Kazon space?
NEXT TIME: Tuvok’s Memory
Written By: Michael Piller
Series: Star Trek: Voyager
Year: 1996
“Basics, Part II” is only slightly better than the first installment. Instead of yelling at our dumb characters for blindly walking into a very obvious trap, this time most are forced to learn to survive on a planet with a primitive society, a man-eating cave eel-monster, and several volcanic eruptions. The story is dull; it barely shows anything of our characters except the “can they survive without their tech?” plot. They defeat the eel-monster by causing a cave-in and they are able to finally make peace with the primitive culture by saving one of their people from the flowing lava. It is tolerable, but forgettable for the most part.
The surviving Kazon are forced to abandon ship, including Culluh and Seska’s child…but Seska, many Kazon, and Suder are all killed in the battle for Voyager. Luckily, we are done with the whole Seska thing. As interesting an idea as I thought her character was, the execution was sub-par at best. From what I understand this is also the last real appearance the Kazon (I guess there are a few really minor appearances and references post-Basics but nothing of consequence). Almost everyone but Michael Piller admit were a failure…not to mention how long are they going to be in Kazon space?
NEXT TIME: Tuvok’s Memory