3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
fountain of dumb youth, August 27, 2004
This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 12: Too Short A Season [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Clayton Rohner gives one of the cheesiest, overdone, stage-like performances in Star Trek lore as Admiral Mark Jameson. Jameson is a terminally ill man in his late 80s, legendary as a famous negotiator who helped to sign a treaty decades earlier on Mordan IV. Yes, Mordan was such an awesome name, they obviously had at the very least, 4 planets with that name. Ugh.
Anyhoo, Jameson is asked to accompany the Enterprise to Mordan IV, as there has been an uprising and Federation scientists have been taken hostage. Jameson is frail and suffering from Iverson's Disease that leaves him wheelchair bound. Surprisingly, he feels a bit invigorated by the prospect of going on this final mission and exhibits abilities (such as standing without his chair and even walking) he has not had in years. His wife, who has accompanied him on this trip, is astonished and Dr. Crusher is suspicious. Dr. Crusher knows that those with Jameson's disorder do not improve - the disease is one of deterioration and there are no known treatments to reverse the disease or even halt it. Jameson refuses medical exams and becomes beligerent.
As they approach Mordan IV, the crew has to rub their eyes, because everytime they look at Jameson, he looks healthier and even younger. After collapsing from intense pain, Jameson is finally forced to explain that he has consumed the infamous Cerebusian Rejuvenator, an illegal compound, purported to be a fountain of youth type of formula that de-ages the person who consumes it. He procured enough for himself and his wife so they could be young again, but in desperation to make it to the meeting on Mordan IV on time and in good health, he drank both batches and its killing him - but he looks really good! Dr. Crusher tells Picard, "he's dying Captain! His cells are pushing themselves to get younger and younger and they're going to implode!" I honestly don't know how they kept a straight face during this scene.
If Jameson dies, so do the hostages - as one of Mordan IV's leaders, Karnas, has a grudge to settle with Jameson - who unknown to the Federation, violated the Prime Directive in a MAJOR way to achieve the treaty with Mordan IV. They have to try to keep Jameson's cells from imploding long enough for him to talk to Karnas and get the hostages released. As Jameson dies, he is able to tell his wife how much he loves her, etc. in some of the worst acting you'll ever see in this series. I don't know if it was just poor direction or if they actually hired this guy without seeing if he could act his way out of a paper bag, but suffice to say, it's over the top.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
"Age and wisdom have their graces too.", April 19, 2004
This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 12: Too Short A Season [VHS] (VHS Tape)
There are two lessons to be learned by watching "Too Short A Season." Number one - the quest for the fountain of youth is ongoing well into the 24th century. Number two - the practice of aging actors through bad-make-up applications in television productions was still ongoing well into the late 20th century.
The Enterprise-D is ordered to transport Admiral Mark Jameson (Clayton Rohner) to Mordan IV so that he may negotiate for the release of hostages. Karnas (Michael Pataki), the governor of the planet, has a score to settle with the Admiral as their prior dealings decades ago led to catastrophe. As the Enterprise-D gets closer to the planet, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) cannot help but notice that the aged Admiral appears to be physically turning younger. When confronted with this observation, Jameson tells the captain that he has used an alien drug to help him regain his youth so that he would be in a better position to deal with Karnas. However, the Admiral soon discovers that his regained youth is not the blessing he had hoped for.
"Too Short A Season" is a misfire. Despite the sweet interplay between Clayton Rohner and Marsha Hunt as the Jamesons, this episode never makes any serious attempt to explore the perceived connection between youth and job performance. Is Jameson correct in asserting that he needs the vigor of youth to do his job adequately? We never find out since the de-aging process and Jameson's accompanying deterioration is just used as a story gimmick. Even more fatal to the episode is the aforementioned make-up application on Rohner. It is so bad that it will constantly keep you distracted. You will not absorb vast amounts of story information because brain cells in your head that should be following the unfolding tale will instead be rendered numb and useless every time the horrific image of the elder Jameson appears on the television screen. If you can actually recall specific aspects of this episode besides the bad make-up job when it is over then you are indeed a master of concentration.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Attempting to atone for your sins, August 20, 2000
This review is from: Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 12: Too Short A Season [VHS] (VHS Tape)
An elderly Starfleet admiral, suffering from an incurable disease, attempts to atone for suppling arms to an alien world that started a war 40 years ago by consuming an alien medication that's supposed to make him grow younger. However, he grows younger and younger, and sicker and sicker. But will he survive to redeem himself for his sins?
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