Haven

I know one needs to inject the human element into these episodes. The characters have families somewhere. Deanna Troi is no exception. Being a Betazoid and having the ability to sense emotions and in some cases, read minds, she is a valuable member of the crew. She is not a full Betazoid (sort of like Mr. Spock's half-Vulcan). When Lwaxana, Deanna's mother, shows up (a great Scrabble word) she is a tiresome, overbearing woman. Deanna, as part of a culture that endorses it, has an arranged marriage and her mother is here with her fiancé to make sure everything goes as it should. When he sees his "beloved" he is stunned. He has been dreaming of someone else. Now the more interesting story. A doomed group of Terrelians is wandering the galaxy, trying to find safe haven (at Haven, of course). They are infected and can't be allowed to land where there is habitation. Included among the crew is the person Troi's betrothed has been having dreams about (pardon my preposition). The solution to this tale is interesting. While many find Lwaxana a refreshing change, I found her an intergalactic stereotypical Jewish mother. Of course, we haven't seen the last of her.

Haven got pretty close to getting a "Good" rating (an 8) but the whole drawing thing messed that up.

Haven has a whole bunch of things going for it; Lwaxanna is introduced and she is hilarious. The episode takes a stab at arranged marriages, though it doesn't quite hit its mark. There's also a now strangely topical question of how to deal with the threat of infection with a deadly disease. Best of all, most character interactions are entertaining or interesting. And people actually behave like adults. Shocking!

Deanna Troi has a marriage commitment to fulfil.

I struggled with this episode due to a lack of interest in the story, dialogue and comedy.

The plot is a mixture of soap opera, comedy farce and medical drama that for me doesn't combine particularly well.

There is so much wrong with the introductory sequence that I initially had high hopes for the episode having a 'so bad it's good' enjoyment level. Riker looking like he's contemplating some sort of tech aided self-gratification, the bizarre message beamed aboard and Troi's reaction (with dramatic zoom) Unfortunately it goes on to be a 45 minutes that for me feels like 45 hours.

Everyone knows Troi isn't going to get married and leave the show. Riker spends most of the episode pouting like a child. This concept feels like a bad daytime drama. The bickering in-laws scenes are not funny except for one line Data says whilst observing them (Although, I acknowledge comedy is in the eye of the beholder). The sub-plot that eventually merges with the Wedding plot doesn't improve the situation, it just results in a scene of horrendously bad dialogue.

The only positives in my opinion are the performances. Majel Barrett plays an annoying character very well and makes the best out of poor material. Likewise Patrick Stewart who manages come across as bemused with everything as the viewer might be. Robert Knepper also delivers bad dialogue well.

Marina Sirtis isn't a bad actress, but she struggles to make bad lines sound good. Jonathan Frakes gets Riker's feelings on the matter across effectively. Brent Spiner is funny, but he doesn't improve the episode for me.

Troi's mother Lwaxana arrives on the Enterprise ahead of Deanna's unexpected arranged marriage to a complete stranger, the somewhat drippy artist Wyatt who has been having dreams of a different woman. Meanwhile, the Enterprise must intervene when a ship loaded with plague sufferers approaches the heavenly planet of Haven.

A rather bland episode that feels like a cheap Mills & Boon novel with a sci-fi twist. The plot has no surprises and the supporting cast are weak but at least we get Barrett and Struycken, who are great fun as Lwaxana and her mute companion. Plus, watching horny Riker in a bad mood is hilarious!

This is the first character focused episode that really works. The writers seem to know who they want the characters to be, Troi in particular. Riker still feels overly dramatic, but his series long motivations are satisfactorily established here. Data is further forced into the role of comic relief as he puts his bemusement with humanity on full display. The kid playing Wyatt is a really good actor and he steals the show here, but the best part of this episode is the complete lack of Wesley Crusher.

There are some stumbles towards the end of the episode when Wyatt decides to fulfill his destiny. His scene with Lwaxana which is supposed to motivate his decision isn't very believable. While it touches on the recurring theme of space, time, and thought being part of the same fabric, it does so badly. His final scene with Troi and his parents doesn't feel quite right either, but it works well enough as a farewell.

The mythology set up for the planet Haven as a place of healing has a nice pay off though I'd like to learn more about their Star Gate. Do they need a DHD or does it operate in some other manner? I don't recall if SG-1 ever visited a planet called Haven, but if they did I'll begin work on a connected universe theory. Seeing as how both shows play with parallel universes and alternate timelines it's entirely possible that the two shows share hither to undiscovered links.

Verdict: Engaging, but not memorable.

Other musings: Mr. Holm is a drunk and I love him. He deserves his own show, or at least some back story. The one-off transporter chief has a really interesting voice. A Betazoid wedding is probably a great place to notch your bed post.