Customer Reviews

Star Trek - Voyager, Episode 39: The Thaw [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Michael McKean guest stars in a quite different sort of role in "Star Trek: Voyager," Episode 39, "The Thaw" (Story by Richard Gadas, Teleplay by Joe Menosky, Aired April 29, 1996). "Voyager" receives an automated distress call from the Kohl settlement. Facing an ecological disaster, the small group of settlers went into artificial hibernation. When the hibernation pods are beamed aboard two of the settlers are dead and the other three remain in deep stasis, connected to a computer. The Doctor reports that both of the dead settlers suffered heart failure that might have been caused by extreme fear (hear ominous organ music at this point). That means when Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) decide to enter the two available pods and hook up to the computer that this is not a good idea.

When they enter the computer-generated dream world of the settlers they discover a nightmarish carnival run by an evil Clown (McKean), whose followers drag Kim off to a guillotine. Although Harry keeps his head he and Torres now understand how the Kohl settlers could have been frightened to death. The computer gives the Clown access to the darkest fears of his guests, which he then uses to torment them. Living off their fear, the Clown refuses to let Kim and the settlers wake up, but sends Torres back (how much fear can you get from even a half-Klingon?) to warn Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) that she tries to disconnect the hibernation pods, all of his guests will die. While the Clown is torturing Kim, Janeway tries to figure out a way to rescue her young officer.

The chief attraction of "The Thaw" is McKean indulging his dark side as the malevolent Clown, aided and abetted by performers from Cirque du Soleil as his minions. They always say comedies can do tragedy, but watching them do horror can be fun as well. Carel Struycken, best remembered as Mr. Homm on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," plays Spectre, the incarnation of death for the Kohl settlers. Of course, the idea of being terrified for eternity is better in the mind than seeing it acted out, by this episode definitely has its moments. On balance it comes in at a 4.5 but we round up for McKean's memorable performance.

This episode of Star Trek Voyager is interesting as it takes on the issue of what fear can do in the life of an individual.

The basic plot involves the crew stumbling upon three individuals who have been connected to a joint computer and held in stasis in an artifical world for several years. The characters in the computer program, however, do not want to give up their "existence", and so they have terrorized the humanoid participants into not ending the program and coming out of stasis on schedule. Interesting plot.

I thought that the use of The Doctor in this episode was very well done...and actually made sense, given the fact that he is also computer generated! However, the fact that in the end, *only* Captain Janeway could effectively shut down this "world" was, in my opinion, somewhat contrived. Yes..she's the captain...but that fact alone does not make her any less suseptible to fear than any of the others she sent into the artifical world before her (Torres, Kim and The Doctor).

For that reason, I give the episode 4 stars instead of 5.

...then illusion IS your reality." This telling statement is made by one of the characters in 'The Thaw' a surreal exercise as only Trek can do. Since its inception in the mid-sixties Star Trek has worked to create the reality of space travel and our world as having found a peaceful resolution to it's conflicts and living in accord. This well constructed illusion of reality has brought legions of Trek fans decades of enjoyment, the characters and their backgrounds and myriad experiences become such a strong part of our own psyche that they fairly breathe with life. Within this imagined universe there are still those who attempt to disrupt this golden age, be they warlike aliens or unsuspected enemies from within the harmonious ranks of the Federation. Having worked this formula successfully for years the writers of this particular Voyager episode find a ingenious way to invent an entirely new villain in the Star Trek universe, though it has been present all along.

When Voyager scanners reveal a once populated and technologically advanced planet that was laid waste by a biological disaster Janeway orders the starship into an orbit around the dead world so they can get further scientific data. The ship's scanners report that the planet has begun to recover ecologically but find no life forms present. Janeway presumes that since the disaster was easily predictable to the planet's scientists they would have made arrangements for people to survive such a catastrophe. Bearing witness to this is a self-activating message from the planet that explains that a group of scientists have placed themselves in medical stasis. After computer equipment detects a sufficient recovery in progress the program maintaining their stasis is to be interrupted and awaken the group. Harry then scans below the surface and finds life signs coming from a cavern; further scans disclose that there are five medical stasis tubes each containing a humanoid. Since the equipment has obviously failed for reasons not understood Janeway considers it wiser to beam the containers and the life sustaining equipment to a cargo bay on the starship. Two of the five are discovered to be dead and the others in an irretrievable condition but still alive. Harry and Torres determine that the computer shared by the five tubes also creates and maintains a mental environment for them to live in while in stasis. The two are then connected to the same computer by utilizing the now empty two chambers to see if they can interact with the alien life forms and hopefully get instructions on how to retrieve them from their stasis. Once there Harry and Torres discover that the aliens are trapped within by a computer generated virtual life form, The Clown, who is the embodiment of Fear; playing deadly games with the surviving trio The Clown welcomes the two to the bizarre and inescapable world. After all attempts to barter for the group's safe return fail Janeway devises a way to cleverly outwit that most overwhelming of our emotions.

'The Thaw' takes a relatively simple premise and stretches it just as far as it dares to in order to get the most out of this inspired idea. The sets designed for the illusory world the aliens have inadvertently created are a throwback to the mod sixties, in fact they look like they might have been leftover from a production of "Laugh-In" or an episode of "The Monkees". Playing the pivotal role of The Clown is Michael McKean, one of the stars of 'This Is Spinal Tap'; McKean's performance is completely over-the-top without being the least bit annoying. He really does seem to be computer generated, both in appearance and his spontaneous actions or gestures, and he reasons in much the same way a computer would also. He even outsmarts Voyager's holographic Doctor when he attempts to intervene. The final twist to the ending comes as a complete surprise though there is a hint at the resolution during The Doctor's first visit. Other interesting highlights to this episode include the nature of fear and its pathos being discussed between the officers of the starship as they try to come up with a solution, and especially the final confrontation between Janeway and The Clown. Also noteworthy is the casting of Carel Struycken as one of the inhabitants of the sham world; Struycken was cast as Lwaxana Troi's male servant, Mr. Homm in several episodes from the TNG series.

This episode portrays Captain Janeway in a commanding yet compassionate role. She will not leave three individuals who have been in stasis for years alone at the mercy of FEAR. The character of FEAR is vividly portrayed by Michael McKeon. No one will forget the circus like atmosphere he creates or how chilling his portrayal of that emotion. It is an episode that I have seen over and over again. I heartily recommend it.

Though I am not a big fan of Voyager, this chapter showed some of the finest attributes of the Star Trek tradition: Exploration of what it means to be human. Here, they get into a wonderful methaphorical exploration of the meaning of fear, and even of the reason for fear to exist. Or to quote Janeway in this episode "What does fear want?"

If you pay close attention, in the end you might have a suprising new insight on the answer for the above question, and in the process, have lots of fun.

This episode proves that Star Trek is not just for sci-fi fans. Its a completely unique idea, visually entertaining, and an attention grabber! I definitly think you see this episode!

I'm sorry but this is one of the worst episodes, from what I've seen of it. The clown looks ridiculous. He's not really scary -- he's more stupid. I didn't like this episode at all!

Anyone who is interested in Startrek should watch this episode, I found it held true character, and really went in depth. A definate must see, with that all too familiar "star trek twist" of events. A nice way to spend 45 minutes!