My Review- 'Desert Crossing'
A few weeks ago I reviewed 'Detained'. The episode was wholly entertaining, and had a good message for all, but it was extremely blatant. In many ways 'Desert Crossing' is very similar. It also tells a story which also blatantly mirrors the situation in certain Arab nations, but 'Detained', while blatant, had a wholly enjoyable story to go along with it. Did 'Desert Crossing'?
STORYLINE
The answer to that is no. It is very very dull. It is so dull, that near the end at one point I actually began to see if I could rip apart and empty Sprite bottle with my hands. Suffice to say, I was successful. The episode also thrives upon stereotypes. Zobral himself is a walking stereotype, and the entire sequence with Trip and Archer in the desert is dull and clichéd. Ah, you may say "But u enjoyed similar sequences in 'Shuttlepod One'. True, but in that case we had interesting insights into the characters and while there are no out of character moments here, we dont get that. It's just, very, very dull and obvious. I mean everything screams "Arab!". The Desert Planet, the people's accents, even the clothes they wear! The only other place I can think of that's similar is Tatooine :D. It's dull it's long and at some parts I just couldn't be bothered.
THE SHIP
Someone told me that shuttles are fitted with Phase Cannons for tactical missions now, hence the Phase Cannons in 'Detained'. Fine. Why wasn't the shuttle here fitted then? OK it wasn't exactly a tactical mission but there was a chance of battle! And what happened to the other shuttle on the planet. I hope someone mentions this next episode, or I will be expecting to see just one shuttlepod left. Replacing the engine in Shuttlepod One I can accept, losing a whole shuttle and replacing I cannot accept.
THE
CHARACTERS
One of the few upsides of this ep was Clancy Brown as Zobral. Despite playing a walking stereotype I was still impressed.
Everyone else was just neutral. I didn't feel anyone was particularly good or bad.
STAR
TREK NOTES.
No Phlox this week. Shame, Billingsley and Phlox often turn out to be the high-point of an episode.
Did anyone think that 'Guskano' looked like a 24th Century Lacrosse? Admittedly Im no expert on Lacrosse but it looked like it to me.
The Vulcan landed in BOZEMAN, Montana?! Oh Braga. For those that dont know Braga was born in Bozeman, Montana. The USS Bozeman then appeared in TNG's 'Cause and Effect' and was mentioned in 'All Good Things' 'Star Trek: Generations' and also 'Star Trek: First Contact'. This also explains why Montana was the state they picked, and explains why the USS Bozeman is named after a little crappy town no one cares about.
Rating (out of 10): 3.5/10. Bleh. It doesnt even deserve the dignity of a normal length review.
