Customer Reviews

Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 12: Too Short A Season [VHS]

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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.

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.

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?

Boy, it this episode bore me. I mean, don't get me wrong, Clayton Raynor's performance as the deaging Admiral was excellent and the idea of someone deaging from a frail old man to a strong young man is a good one. But the dialogue didn't really give me any suspense for what would happen to this man. Also, as much as the makeup for the run of TNG has been solid. They must of had an offweek with the old man makeup, made it look like he was melting. But maybe that was what it was supposed to be, i don't know. I just didn't like it

Terrorists take Federation officials hostage on Mordan IV and the Enterprise is ordered to transport the aged and infirm Admiral Mark Jameson to Mordan IV. The Admiral is a legendary negotiator, and among his many accomplishments was the mediation of a conflict on Mordan IV forty-five years earlier. However, as the Enterprise makes its' way to the planet, Jameson begins changing, becoming younger and more vigorous. This is due to his having taken some form of drug that reverses the aging process, although there are dangerous side effects. Furthermore, it is clear that there are complicating circumstances that the Enterprise crew are unaware of. Jameson and Karnas, the leader of Mordan IV, appear to be talking with a great deal of circumspection, saying things that only they understand.
By the time the Enterprise arrives at Mordan IV, Jameson is a man in his twenties, certainly vigorous, but no longer possessing the aura of wisdom that his age granted him. On Jameson's order, an armed Enterprise party beams down in an attempt to free the hostages. They fail in this mission and eventually they go before Karnas. At this point, it is revealed that Karnas himself has taken the hostages in an attempt to have Jameson come back to Mordan IV. It is revealed that Jameson's solution to the previous conflict on the planet was to give both sides weapons, which ignited a decades-long civil war. The purpose of having Jameson come back to the planet was so that he could be executed for what he did. Seeing a young man suffering from severe convulsions, Karnas frees the hostages and allows Jameson to leave.
While the basic idea of the dangers of arming both sides in a regional conflict is a good one for a story, in this case, it is not delivered very well. This story suffers from the same affliction that many of the early episodes of TNG did, an attempt to pack too much story into the episode. The secondary plot of the wonder drug that is a fountain of youth tends to supercede the main plot that deals with non-interference. Given that the igniting of a civil war is so significant, it would not have been difficult to create a complete episode using only it as a plot device. If that had been done, this would have been a much better story.

Too Short A Season

For those of you who remember Oliver North; this episode has a 24th century twist. The legendary Admiral Jameson comes aboard the Enterprise. He rides a mechanical wheelchair that looks like Professor X's from the X-Men. Picard has to take him to a mission to free hostages.

Unbeknownst to our captain; Jameson made a deal with a terrorist leader years ago. A brutal dictator named Karnas. Probably a parody on the word carnage. He gave him weapons for the hostages. The admiral declared, "It wasn't my golden oratory that saved these men," he cut a deal.

Actor Clayton Rohner, gave an incredible performance as a man living a lie as a great negotiator. The rest of the cast took a back seat in this episode. It was well worth it. I wonder why Clayton was never asked to return as another character? It's been tradition with this show that many a guest star has come back as someone else.

X-Files fans take note: Rob Bowman; who directed this episode, went on to direct the first X-Files Movie.

Again, I've been duped by other reviewers (thanks johnstory). How about NOT giving away the ending?The cast is just going through the motions and even the typical special effects are second rate.
Again, check your brain at the door to enjoy this one! Or better yet, go see a doctor.