11th November, 2022.
Right … it’s Friday.
And?
I can safely say vegetables are boiling, chips are doing, and some fish is being baked in the oven.
Wikipedia … ? Tells me the reason we have it on a Friday, is that the Roman Catholic Church forbade eating red meat on a Friday.
Which explains that.
WHY they did that? And Orthodox Churches forbade it — and sex — on a Friday?
I really don’t know.
I’m assuming it’s for religious reasons: they are churches, after all.
What those are?
I’m blowed if I know!
At any rate … ?
It’s Friday: which means … ?
I’ll be watching the next episode Star Trek Strange New Worlds: and posting my review, tomorrow.
Will The Elysian Kingdom be as good as Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach?
I’ll let you know, tomorrow.
12th November, 2022.
Episode 8 — The Elysian Kingdom — opens with the traditional summary of earlier episodes.
Then moves to sickbay: where Dr M’Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) is making an entry in his personal log: telling us that — as the USS Enterprise is now doing a scientific survey of the Jonisian Nebula — there is little for he, and Sickbay, to do.
Given the free time?
Given the free time, M’Benga plans on doing more research into the disease affecting his daughter, Rukiya (Sage Arrindell) … and carry on reading her The Kingdom of Elysian, her favourite bedtime story.
Once he finishes the current chapter? Rukiya is gently put back into the Transporter buffer.
And goes to work on more of his research into the Cygnokemia that’s slowly killing her.
Only to be interrupted by Number One (Rebecca Romijn): who needs him to check on a returning landing party.
After — she insists — he get some sleep: Number One is very aware the the ship’s chief medical officer needs rest.
Something that’s going to have to wait.
As M’Benga is called to the bridge by Captain Pike (Anson Mount), himself.
Lieutenant Ortegas has been injured, in the rush to try and get away from the Nebula.
When Dr M’Benga gets to the Bridge is exactly when he finds out how serious.
What had been the high technology heart of the ship is now covered in flags, curtains, fires … and a crew done up as courtiers, courtiers bowing directly to King Ridley.
Dr M’Benga is more than a little confused.
His days at medical school hadn’t exactly prepared him for a coronation … !
~≈🖖≈~
Now … what did I make of The Elysian Kingdom?
Is it good? Bad? Indifferent?
On a par with the best this first series has to offer?
Reminiscent of other episodes?
Let’s get that last point out of the way, first, shall we?
Yes: you can loosely compare The Elysian Kingdom to other episodes in what’s a very long-running series.
There was something of a running gag amongst fans: that — if the writers were feeling especially bored, rushed or just plain lazy — this weeks episode would be all about a breakdown on the Holodeck.
But … ? The episodes vaguely running through my mind?
Are The Naked Time, and The Naked Now.
Both episodes see the respective Enterprise crews behaving out of character, after various incidents.
Truth be told? The Elysian Kingdom is more of a combination of The Naked Now with a malfunctioning holodeck.
The various crew members are acting out of character because of outside forces: and doing so according to a plot!
Arguably? We could say it’s been done before.
But, from what I remember? The Naked Now was criticised by some fans: for being screened too early in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s first series.
Fans felt we’d not had a chance to get to know the characters: nor know how they were being out of character.
This is something The Elysian Kingdom addresses, and addresses well: simply by being aired as the eighth episode.
We’ve had time to get to know the characters.
We know Spock (Ethan Peck) is a cooly rational advisor: rather than a scheming wizard.
We know Uhura* (Celia Rose Gooding) is an eager-to-learn Cadet: rather than the scheming Ice Queen she presents as.
We know Lieutenant Ortegas† to be a witty, and confident pilot … rather than an overprotective bodyguard!
We know La’an Noonien-Singh‡ is the tough Security Chief: rather than an dippy debutant.
So that air date … ?
Helps.
Then … ?
There’s is the tone of the episode.
Granted: The Elysian Kingdom has a genuinely bittersweet ending to it.
Dr M’Benga’s much loved daughter doesn’t die: but is happily cured of the illness that’s slowly killing her … only to be forced to stay in the Nebula the Enterprise is trapped in, as that’s the only way to keep her cured.
Rukiya’s not dead: but no longer in the series and separated from her much loved father.
What makes this ending worse?
Is that The Elysian Kingdom is quite simply fun.
I honestly can’t — with the possible exception of Our Man Bashir — think of an episode that’s so lighthearted: but takes itself seriously.
And treats its characters so well.
Which brings me to my initial question: is The Elysian Kingdom on a par with the best this first series has to offer?
I can give you a qualified yes on that, I think.
The first episode, Strange New Worlds, is a brilliant opening episode: and a near par to Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach, the sixth episode.
I grant you: I still think Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach is one of the strongest bits of TV going.
But … ?
Yes: trailing after it comes both Strange New Worlds … and The Elysian Kingdom.
The Elysian Kingdom is very good, indeed.
Frankly?
I’m going to be watching the next episode, All Those Who Wander, on Friday, 18th November: and posting my review of it on the 19th November.
I’ll see you then.
The Elysian Kingdom.★★★★
* Just as a footnote, here? Uhura’s costume as Queen Neve was one that had me thinking both of the Snow Queen … and of Narnia’s White Witch. The way Ms Gooding played Queen Neve? The way she ended up draped on her throne … ? Made me want to say “Good Evening, Dr Furter … !”
† I have to ask if Ortegas — as presented in this episode — is part Klingon? She just seemed a little … you know … gung-ho!
‡ Have you ever heard the phrase ‘Sloane Ranger’? It’s sort of a posh, English version of a Valley Girl. Chong, as Noonien-Singh, as Princess Thalia? Is a Sloane Ranger: as well as being a Deb!
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