Monday 20 October 2008

Star Trek: TNG 2.7 - Unnatural Selection

Review 117 - Episode 113 (Jan 30th 1989)

The One where the Pulaski gets really old

Ah, Pulaski. Pulaski, Pulaski , Pulaski. I really don't like this character. I should add that I have no problems with the actress who did a fine job in TOS (twice), but the writers have really messed up with her. I hate to keep harking on about this, but her whole "Data isn't human" obsession does my fucking box in. She cannot move beyond the fact he's an android and keeps having digs about his lack of emotions on the shuttle craft. She's a total bee-atch towards Data. This thread should have been dropped episodes ago. It's not character development, it's just a personality trait to show she's kindof like McCoy and Spock. But it doesn't work, because it's not his personality, it's his being she finds distasteful. It makes her look prejudiced and small minded. Add in the grumpiness towards Picard and her fear of transporters and we get a watered down, poorly written, crap female version of Bones. Rubbish. Bev got booted for this?

Anyway, she contracts an ageing disease (hello, haven't we been here before in TOS?) and Picard has to save her. One good thing about this episode is that Chief O'Brien get's his first real scene beyond pressing buttons. Colm Meaney is a immense actor and it's great he was given room to shine (and he's been in it from the start).

It's a rehashed TOS story about a character I have no time for. Only the B plot on board the Enterprise and scenes with the Lantree (especially the rather poignant moments when it blows up) save it for me.

2/5
Overall Star Trek Franchise Rating so far: 334/590


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