28th October, 2022.
Yes: it’s Friday, again.
I like a Friday, I really do.
It means fish and chips: which doesn’t get boring, funnily.
Even if I still can’t tell you why we’re supposed to eat them!
Occasionally? I’ll iron shirts.
On a Friday … or whenever else I need to do them.
I have no interviews due, granted.
But also had no shirts: I want some at hand.
But I’m digressing.
It’s Friday.
So?
As I’ve been doing for the past few weeks, I’m going to have dinner.
Then?
Watch the next episode of Star Trek Strange New Worlds: the pretentious sounding Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach.
29th October, 2022.
Episode 6 — Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach — opens with the usual summary of earlier episodes: reminding us that Captain Pike (Anson Mount) knows the future he’s heading for, one that includes much suffering.
The scene shifts.
To show us the Captain recording his personal log. Telling us that the USS Enterprise is heading for the Majalan system, for a routine cartographic survey. Of a system where — nearly ten years earlier — the Captain was almost killed, rescuing someone from a pulsar.
On route to the Bridge? He meets Cadet Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding): who has been placed with Lieutenant Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) … and is getting some seriously tough training. As the Captain remind the Cadet — with a good impression of his Security Chief — “A Rigellian Tiger pounces with no warning.”
At the bridge? Is when the Captain finds out that the Enterprise is going to have its work cut out for it.
As a Majalan shuttle is heading for its homeward … whilst under attack from another ship.
One that immediately attacks the Enterprise … only to flee once it realises it’s outgunned.
When it does … ? Is when Captain Pike and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) head for the Transporter Room where the survivors of the Shuttle have been beamed to.
Only to find that one member of the Shuttle’s crew, Alora (Lindy Booth)?
Is the woman he rescued from the Majalan pulsar, ten years previously …
~≈🖖≈~
Now … what did I make of this episode?
What did I think of it?
And can I ask if you’ve heard of a couple of stories?
And been reading the works of Ursula K. Le Guin, for some time.
That’s going to be relevant, I think.
There’s a lot to say, here, there REALLY is.
For one thing … ?
Let’s start with that plotline, shall we?
Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach focuses on one main story: with minor threads built around it.
The main thrust?
Is that the child Alora is protecting is the First Servant: one child picked by lottery to become a major figure on her world.
One we initially assume is to become a monarchial ruler of the cities of Majalis.
Incorrectly, as it goes.
The child is due to be wired into the computers that run Majalis: effectively groomed, and sacrificed to the machinery.
And in a way that Captain Pike cannot prevent.
It’s a powerful plot.
One that reminded me — in part, and distantly — of Dr Who story, The Keeper of Traken.
The Keeper of the title is wired into his planet’s infrastructure in much the same way. But is an adult, a consenting adult, not a child.
Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach reminded me of something else.
I mentioned Ursula K. Le Guin, earlier.
She was quite possibly one of the USA’s finest writers: her Earthsea stories are quite riveting.
As are many others.
Including one very relevant short story: The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas.
The story tell us about the fantasy city of Omelas: a place that — much like Majalis — is perfect in every way.
Except that Omelas, too, has a dark secret.
It, too, has a child kept locked up: in darkness, filth and squalor, so that the rest of the city stays perfect.
We’re told the city’s inhabitants know this: and that some … ?
Walk away from Omelas, unable to live in such a city.
So, about forty minutes into the episode? Knowing that some Majalans had — literally — walked away from their perfect society?
The insight struck me: the child, the First Servant wasn’t going to get crowned.
No, he was going to get sacrificed, somehow: and sacrificed so that Majalis would live.
And that the writers of the episode — Robin Wasserman and Bill Wolkoff — had possibly read Le Guin’s best work.
I can see what you’re going to ask me, from here.
You’re going to ask me ‘Paul: have the writers lifted this episode from Le Guin? Have they ripped off her finest story? Is this an incredibly good episode of Star Trek?’
And possibly going to ask ‘Did any of the cast stood out for you?’
Let’s go that last question, first, shall we?
I think Star Trek Strange New Worlds has a fine ensemble cast: it really does.
Christina Chong as La’an, Babs Olusanmokun as Dr M’Benga, Celia Rose Gooding as Uhura?
They, and the rest of the cast, are superb. As ever.
The minor thread running through the episodes of this series? Of Uhura learning from each of the senior officers, gives us insight into the bridge crew: and some much needed lighter moments.
But Anson Mount as Captain Pike? Disgusted by the world he sees, and — effectively — betrayed by a former lover?
Anson Mount was superb: putting in the performance of a lifetime.
Let’s move to the plotline.
Have Wasserman and Wolkoff copied the idea from Le Guin? Ripped off her best story?
I don’t know.
But I’m tempted to say no.
After all, as Le Guin herself says, she was very aware that others had used a similar idea in their works: she cites Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, and William James’ The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life as examples.
Whoever the writers may have lifted the idea from?
It’s a powerful one, powering a strong episode.
Arguably, one of the finest I’ve seen: certainly on a par with Darmok, Sarek, In the Pale Moonlight and The City on the Edge of Forever.
It’s possibly a story that has applications, moral points, elsewhere.
Children getting groomed? For whatever reason? Isn’t a nice idea.
On top of that thought? Those of us in the west live incredibly rich lives.
Even the poorest of us.
Let’s face it, how many of us buy cheap clothes? Cheap shoes? Hell, cheap furniture?
Stuff put together by slave labour in a Bangladeshi sweat shop?
How many of us are using cheap phones or tablets put together in its high tech, Chinese equivalent?
How many of us live in a world where we have chained that child to a machine?
Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach may have borrowed an idea: whether from Le Guin, or Dostoevski, I don’t know.
But, lord, it’s a powerful idea, driving a powerful story that’s worth watching.
And one that means this.
I’ll be coming back for the next episode — The Serene Squall* — on Friday, 4th November, 2022.
And reviewing it on Saturday, 5th November.
Frankly?
Episode seven has a lot to live up to.
Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach.★★★★⁺
* That links to my written review of the episode. The link goes live, after 22:00, on Saturday, 5th November, 2022.
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