Weekend Trek “The Host”

I mentioned something to Jimmy that I didn’t know about this episode before, and Jimmy was surprised to learn it herself:  actress Gates McFadden was seven months pregnant during filming, and she’s the focal point for the plot.  It’s also the first appearance of a member of the Trill race, seen more frequently over on Deep Space Nine.

But what about the episode itself?  Well, we had some thoughts…

“The Host”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPsK8kgHHJ0

Beverly’s new love interest has a secret…

jimmy:  So, there was one shot right at the beginning when Beverly exited the turbo lift with Data that her pregnancy was quite obvious. That said, if you hadn’t mentioned it, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

Otherwise, they did a good job with her sweater and chairs and what not in front of her to cover it up.

tomk:  We can blame Data for the turbo lift. He ruins many things.

jimmy:  Including secret rendezvous.

tomk:  Mostly because he’s probably the only member of the crew who can’t see the obvious.

jimmy:  According to Troi anyways.

tomk:  Picard probably knew because that ambassador doesn’t know what “subtle” means.

jimmy:  Picard certainly caught on when he started telling Picard what a woman she was. With a wink and a nod and a “say no more”.

tomk:  More like a “please say no more”. Why are ambassadors so unable to take hints on this show?

jimmy:  Like an “I can’t be with you because you are now living inside my ‘brother’” kinda hint?

tomk:  Yeah. For someone who prides himself on reading people as an integral part of his job, he kinda sucks at it.

jimmy:  Though his persistence paid off…until he became a female.

tomk:  Yeah, well, other female Trills I’ve seen tend to be a bit more attractive for some reason.

jimmy:  And are they afraid of the transporter?

tomk:  Not in the slightest.

Apparently, when DS9 started, they gave Terry Farrell the same make-up, but some writers wanted to know why they covered her attractive face up, so they changed it to the spots.

jimmy:  That makes sense. No spots on these two hosts. I can’t speak for under Riker’s beard.

tomk:  Spots under Riker’s beard might be something else he caught on his last vacation.

jimmy:  You’ve got to be careful on Risa.

tomk:  You gotta be careful with Riker.

jimmy:  So, does Riker remember what happened when he was Odan?

tomk:  Beverly better hope he doesn’t.

jimmy:  I was expecting an awkward moment between them on the bridge to finish the episode.

tomk:  You weren’t hoping Beverly would kiss that woman goodbye instead?

jimmy:  Oh yes, that too.

tomk:  Well, in that case, is now a good time to point out the last Dax-focused episode of DS9 I watched showed Dax did kiss a woman but Trill society actually forbids symbiotes from continuing interpersonal relationships when a new host comes along?

jimmy:  That’s one of those things that looks good on paper, but has to be extremely difficult for the symbiote.

tomk:  That was the point of the DS9 episode.

jimmy:  Oh, I thought the point was to have two women kiss.

tomk:  Well, that probably helped.

jimmy:  Indeed. But the whole relationship is a bit strange. I get the symbiote’s needing a host, but they don’t seem to be blank slates. Do they give up their while life when chosen to host?  Do they even have a life prior to that?  The one that shows up as the new host can obviously think and talk.

tomk:  You’re right, Jimmy. You are a better commentator than Watson. You deserve a prize.

jimmy:  I do.

tomk:  Well, good. Have a bowl of ice cream. That surely isn’t a distraction from the questions you posed earlier that I have no answer for.

jimmy:  Nom nom…there were questions?

tomk:  Nope!

jimmy:  Perfect.

tomk:  I think the point may be the Trills were, like the Ferengi, greatly developed on DS9 after first appearing on TNG. Much of what this episode showed is contradicted or retconned by DS9.

jimmy:  Very true.

tomk:  But Crusher got her groove back. Or something.

jimmy:  And Riker got another crew member off his bucket list.

tomk:  Up next:  O’Brien!

Riker is nothing if not up for a challenge.

jimmy:  Geordi might be easier.

tomk:  Geordi might be easier.

Did you intend that segue?

jimmy:  …yes?

tomk:  Good. Have another bowl of ice cream.

jimmy:  Delicious.

tomk:  So, anything else to add about Crusher and Odan , sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G?

jimmy:  Heh.  No, I don’t think so.

tomk:  Shall we see what happens when Geordi thinks he scores?

jimmy:  That sounds interesting.

tomk:  In that case, let’s see what Geordi’s worst vacation is like.

Next:  “The Mind’s Eye”