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Jul 08, 2019  On November 26, 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was released in theaters. But it wasn't until September 30, 1987 (ten months later and two days after the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation) that The Voyage Home was finally released on VHS and Beta. To help promote the home video release, Paramount partnered with TWA. More recently, in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the crew is sometimes seen playing five-card stud, often an officer's game hosted by Commander William Riker and usually entered by Data (as part of his efforts to become more human), Worf, Geordi LaForge, Dr Beverley Crusher, Deanna Troi and occasionally by other crewmembers.

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'The Host' is the 23rd episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 97th episode overall. It was originally released on May 11, 1991, in broadcast syndication.

Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D. In this episode, Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) falls in love with Odan (Franc Luz), a Trillmediator. But after he is mortally injured, she discovers that 'Odan' is actually a symbiotic creature that lives inside a humanoid host body. Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) volunteers to act as a temporary host, complicating the relationship between Crusher and Odan. The mediation proves successful, but after Odan is transferred to a new, female Trill host (Nicole Orth-Pallavicini), Crusher chooses not to continue the relationship.

At the time of filming, McFadden was seven months pregnant, resulting in filming techniques used to conceal her abdomen. A two part makeup appliance was designed for the Trill host, as well as the symbiont itself which was based on a caterpillar and an octopus. The Trill would subsequently return in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, although the makeup was redesigned. 'The Host' received a Nielsen rating of 11.3 percent during the first week of release in syndication. The ending of the episode has received a mixed reception, with Zack Handlen for The A.V. Club saying that the reaction by Crusher made 'perfect sense',^[1] while others suggested that the statement regarding Crusher's views on homosexuality should have been confined as a character trait rather than a general statement on the opinions of the species.

It was the first episode to be directed by Marvin V. Rush, the director of photography, and was written by Michel Horvat.

• 2Production

Plot[edit]

Odan (Franc Luz), a mediator, boards the Enterprise to negotiate a peace treaty between two hostile races. Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) is charmed by the man, and the two share a love affair during the trip. Odan refuses to use the transporter and requests that a shuttle and pilot be provided for him; Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) honors this request. During the mission, the shuttle is attacked by a dissident faction and Odan is mortally injured. While trying to save the alien in sickbay, Dr. Crusher comes to learn that Odan is a Trill, a species which symbiotically lives within its host's body. It is further revealed by Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) that the transporter would have harmed the symbiotic lifeform. Following the death of Odan's host body, Commander Riker volunteers to allow Odan use him as a host to conduct the necessary negotiations until a new host arrives.

Odan's presence becomes dominating over Riker, and Dr. Crusher finds herself initially confused when Odan continues to try to engage with her to continue their relationship. Dr. Crusher is puzzled and full of emotion as she later confides to Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and wonders about the true depth of her feelings for Odan. With some effort, Odan in Riker's body manages to convince the delegates from the warring planets to work with him. However, Riker's body begins to deteriorate due to the incompatibility of different biologies. The ship transporting the new host has encountered engine malfunctions. Dr. Crusher does everything she can to extend Riker's and Odan's chances while the Enterprise races to meet the Trill ship, and has a deeply emotional moment with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart).

The Enterprise successfully rendezvous in time to bring aboard the new host, a female (Nicole Orth-Pallavicini), much to Dr. Crusher's surprise. She helps with the other Trill to transplant Odan into the new host, and both Riker and Odan fully recover. When Odan attempts to continue their relationship, Dr. Crusher is uncomfortable, knowing both that the Trill appear to have no preferences on gender orientation, and that Odan will continue to live on in any number of hosts' bodies. Odan admits he still loves Dr. Crusher, but understands her confusion and discomfort, and promises to never forget her or their short time together. And Dr. Crusher replies that she loves Odan too; in Odan's new, female host body, Odan then kisses the inner wrist of her hand.

Production[edit]

Direction and writing[edit]

'The Host' was written by Michael Horvat and directed by Marvin V. Rush. Rush had been the director of photography for the series since the start of the third season and was the first of three members of the series' staff to direct an episode.^[2] The filming of Gates McFadden's scenes was complicated by the fact that she was seven months pregnant at the time, requiring different camera angles than would normally be used. Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander Riker, explained later that 'they would not address the fact that the actress was pregnant',^[3] requiring the cast and crew to hide McFadden's stomach from the camera with furniture or by using camera angles which only showed her from her breasts upwards.^[3] Rush was not told which episode he was going to direct beforehand, other than that it was going to be a ship-based episode.^[3] He later directed two episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and two of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Story editor Brannon Braga was pleased with the episode, calling it 'one of the most outstanding stories we've ever done' as it was originally suggested as a 'squirmy worm' story, which was 'unique' as it went on to become 'the most touching love story'.^[3]Ronald D. Moore stated that it had become a Star Trek story by focusing the episode on the relationship rather than on the negotiations.^[3] Rush suggested that some viewers were disappointed with the ending, due to Crusher not accepting her lover in his new female body. He said that it was a valid point of view, and that McFadden's lines in the final scene made it clear that it put forward a hope that homosexuality may be better accepted in the future.^[3] The subject matter was revisited in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode 'Rejoined',^[4] which featured one of the earliest televised lesbian kisses.^[5]

The character of Odan would return in non-canon Star Trek publications, including in the short story 'First Steps' within The Lives of Dax anthology. It also made two appearances in licensed comics, first in DC ComicsStar Trek: The Next Generation Annual issue four and then in Divided we Fall, a crossover between The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine published under the WildStorm imprint.^[6]

Makeup and set design[edit]

The makeup for the Trill host featured a separate nose and forehead pieces,^[7] as the intention was to retain the general look of a human. Air bladders were placed inside a fake abdomen to create the shot in which the symbiont appeared to move under the host's skin. A second fake abdomen was created for the surgery scene in which the symbiont is moved into Riker, which worked by having a crew member lie under the surgery table, pulling the symbiont into the opening using a concealed string. The design of the symbiont was based on a caterpillar with an octopus for a head, which featured a further air bladder in order to give the appearance that it was pulsating and painted in fluorescent paint to glow when a black light was shone on it during that scene.^[8]

The Trill later recurred in Deep Space Nine, with multiple hosts of the Dax symbiont appearing on screen. The same makeup was initially used as in their originally appearance in The Next Generation, however after two days of filming with Terry Farrell in the prosthetics, she was sent back to the makeup department to change it.^[9] The shuttle set was the same one which had been used previously, with parts created for different episodes since work began in the first season episode 'Coming of Age'. In 'The Host', it was named Hawking for the theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking.^[2] He would later guest star in the first part of the episode 'Descent' at his request.^[10]

Reception and home media release[edit]

'The Host' aired in broadcast syndication during the week commencing May 12, 1991. It received Nielsen ratings of 11.3, reflecting the percentage of all households watching the episode during its timeslot. This placed it as the highest viewed syndicated show of the week, despite the ratings being near the average for the season.^[11]

James van Hise, in his book The Unauthorized Trek: The Complete Next Generation, called the introduction of the Trill an 'element crucial' to Deep Space Nine, but was critical of the decision to have Crusher not be interested in Odan once he had transferred to his new female host.^[12] This 'apparent homophobia' was said to have resulted in the episode being 'widely criticized' by David Greven in his book Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek.^[13]Keith DeCandido, in his article for Tor.com, said it was difficult to give a fair review of the episode due to the Trill being explored in greater depth in Deep Space Nine, and the subsequent alterations made for that series compared to 'The Host'. He said more generally of the episode that the romance felt rushed, and he would have liked to see the exploration of Riker's feelings about his body being used to have sex with a friend. A further criticism was levelled at the ending, as Crusher stated that it was humans who have a problem with homosexuality rather than limiting it to be her own problem. He gave it a rating of four out of ten.^[6]

Nick Keppler, writing for Nerve.com, listed 'The Host' as one of the 'gayest' episodes of the franchise and described the twist at the end of the episode with the gender of Odan's new host as 'sapphic'.^[14] He criticised the reaction of Crusher at the end of the episode, saying that she would 'get into bed with shifty aliens with weird ridged foreheads but for some reason draws the line at space ladies'.^[14] Zack Handlen gave the episode a rating of B+ in his review for The A.V. Club, saying that the idea at the core of the episode was better than the execution. But he said that the ending made 'perfect sense' as he said that love wasn't solely spiritual but that 'we fall in love with features, with shapes, with bodies, as well as with minds.'^[1] He added that Odan's reaction was also right, as 'everyone has a line, and if you love them, you won't ask them to cross it.'^[1]

The first home media release of 'The Host' was on VHS cassette, appearing on July 23, 1996 in the United States and Canada.^[15] The episode was later included on the Star Trek: The Next Generation season four DVD box set, released in the United States on September 3, 2002.^[16] The fourth season was subsequently released on blu-ray in the UK on July 29, 2013,^[17] and July 30 in the United States.^[18]

Notes[edit]

1. ^ ^abcHandlen, Zack (January 27, 2011). 'Star Trek: The Next Generation: 'Half A Life'/'The Host''. The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
2. ^ ^abNemecek (2003): p. 168
3. ^ ^abcdefGross & Altman (1993): p. 221
4. ^Erdmann & Block (2000): p. 33
5. ^Erdmann & Block (2000): p. 279
6. ^ ^abDeCandido, Keith. 'Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch: 'The Host''. Tor.com. Archived from the original on June 15, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
7. ^Westmore et al; (2000): p. 116
8. ^Westmore et al; (2000): p. 117
9. ^Reeves-Stevens & Reeves-Stevens (1994): p. 16
10. ^Nemecek (2003): p. 253
11. ^'Star Trek: The Next Generation Nielsen Ratings – Seasons 3–4'. TrekNation. UGO Networks. Archived from the original on October 5, 2000. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
12. ^van Hise (1995): p. 109
13. ^Greven (2009): p. 39
14. ^ ^abKeppler, Nick. 'The Five Gayest Episodes of 'Star Trek''. Nerve.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
15. ^'Star Trek: The Next Generation – Episode 97 (VHS)'. Tower Video. Retrieved January 16, 2016.^{[permanent dead link]}
16. ^Ordway, Holly E. (September 9, 2002). 'Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4'. DVD Talk. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
17. ^Simpson, Michael (July 29, 2013). 'Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Blu-Ray Review'. Sci-Fi Now. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
18. ^'TNG: The Fourth Season and Redemption Blu-rays Out On July 30'. StarTrek.com. July 13, 2013. Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2016.

References[edit]

• Erdmann, Terry J.; Block, Paula M. (2000). Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN978-0-671-50106-8.
• Greven, David (2009). Gender and Sexuality in Star Trek. Jefferson, NC and London: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN978-0-7864-4413-7.
• Gross, Edward; Altman, Mark A. (1993). Captain's Logs: The Complete Trek Voyages. London: Boxtree. ISBN978-1-85283-899-7.
• Nemecek, Larry (2003). Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (3rd ed.). New York: Pocket Books. ISBN0-7434-5798-6.
• Reeves-Stevens, Judith; Reeves-Stevens, Garfield (1994). The Making of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN978-0671874308.
• Van Hise, James; Schuster, Hal (1995). The Unauthorized Trek: The Complete Next Generation. Pioneer Books. ISBN978-1-55698-377-1.
• Westmore, Michael; Sims, Alan; Look, Bradley M.; Birnes, William J. (2000). Star Trek: Aliens and Artifacts. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN0-671-04299-8.

External links[edit]

• 'The Host' on IMDb
• 'The Host' at StarTrek.com
• 'The Host' at Memory Alpha (a Star Trekwiki)

Twenty years after the last episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (STNG) aired, you’d think the cast members, most of whom were assembled on Friday before a sellout crowd at Hammerstein Ballroom, would be plumb out tales, secrets and surprises. But you’d be wrong.

Led by the original Starship Enterprise Captain, William Shatner (he played Captain James T Kirk for three seasons), the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), told stores, cracked jokes and revealed a few little known facts as part of New York Comic Con's first Super Week pop-culture festival.

Shatner sat center stage, with cast members arrayed on either side of him, including Denise Crosby, John de Lancie, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton and, seated right beside “Captain Kirk,” Sir Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean Luc Picard.

See also: Video: 'Star Trek' Creator's Son Kicks Off 2-Year Retrospective Project

There were notable absences. Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher, was unaccountably absent and so was Picard’s Number One, Jonathan Frakes, who played William Riker.

While the anecdotes and gentle ribbing among the cast mates, most of whom are now into or well-past middle age, was entertaining, there was one surprising comment from the man who played captain for seven seasons and in four Star Trek movies.

Without Roddenberry

It was, perhaps, the only truly serious question of the night. A particularly perceptive audience member noted how when Star Trek started in 1966 and even in the 1987 reboot, it was an optimistic look at what humanity can be, but in later years, STNG and especially Deep Space Nine became more of an allegorical take on the underbelly of society.

Initially, none of the cast members seemed eager to take this one on. Then Stewart spoke up.

“This is awkward. You’re right, things did change and they did change after Gene Roddenberry had died, because Gene was very specific about certain things he did not want to be themes in the show. For example, politics. I absolutely understand why that should be so. We were a science fiction show. Rick Berman, who took over from Gene as executive producer was more interested in these things, as all of us were. And so it enabled us to deal with current issues, societal issues in ways that interested us and that we could put our own selves behind in a strong way.

With all respect to Gene, whom we all love and adore -– we wouldn’t be here without (even you Bill). But I think the show became, perhaps, more interesting.” Bonus code karamba casino 2018.

50th Opportunities

In two years the Star Trek franchise will celebrate its 50th anniversary. That celebration will coincide with the release of a third film in the rebooted film series. Skirting the question of whether or not William Shatner will reprise his role as Captain Kirk in some kind of cameo, an audience member asked if any of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast would consider appearing in the film as a character different than their original ones on STNG.

“As someone other than Geordi La Forge?” asked LeVar Burton. “That would be a no.”

“It would smack of cute casting to have any of us playing another role in a Star Trek movie,” remarked Patrick Stewart.

Brent Spiner, though, joked, “I certainly would be honored to be in the third Star Trek film that they’re making now, playing all of the characters and all of their families.”

He’s French

Captain Jean Luc Picard is about as French a name as you can have, but anyone who’s watched STNG knows that Picard is an Englishman through and through. In response to a question on Picard’s nationality, Sirtis, who played Betazoid Deana Troi, recalled that the producers wanted her to find an accent suited to her “Betazoid” origins. “Excuse me,” she told the producers, “why the hell am I doing an accent? [Picard] is supposed to be French.”

Stewart then revealed that there was some indecision about his character’s background.

“Somewhere in the vaults of Paramount [which produced the series] there is a piece of film or video, which has me on camera reading a scene in a French accent. They weren’t sure if he should be French or American or English,” said Stewart. He then proceeded to give us a little taste of him reading the series’ most famous line, which sounded a bit like Inspector Clouseau, with a French accent, “Space .. Ze Final Frontier.”

The Next Generation was the ‘Fun’ Cast

Of all the cast members, only one, Michael Dorn playing Worf, made the full-time transition from one Star Trek series, The Next Generation, to another, Deep Space Nine, but he revealed that the environments were quite a bit different.

“We were fun, laughing, having a great time for seven years. It was great work. When they said action, we were like, ‘Sir!’ [very serious] and when they said ‘cut’ we were doing show tunes and hanging around the set. It was just great. You go over to Deep Space Nine [1993-1999] and it was a very serious show. They would call Avery ‘Mr. Brooks.’ It was like a monastery over there.”

Dorn noted that the cast eventually loosened up and “in a short time, they were wild and crazy, too.”

Shatner, who was intrigued by the idea of the cast singing, dancing and, in LeVar Burton’s case being “asleep behind [Giordi’s] visor,” got the entire cast to sing a single line of “Volare.”

Cast Of Star Trek The Next Generation

Would You Fly?

Star Trek: The Next Generation is set in the 24th century, roughly 200 years from now, a time when humans have ostensibly worked out interstellar spaceflight. If such space flight happens within the cast mates' lifetimes, would they go into space?

Star Trek The Next Generation Season 8

“I wouldn’t go on the first flight. I’d go on like the hundredth flight, just when I’d think they got it worked out,” quipped Dorn.

Stewart, though, sounded ready to go: “I would like to ride the fire,” said Stewart, “I would like to experience the launch, because some of their accounts from those going out to the space station, are remarkable.”

A Shaky Story

The cast also recounted a few funny, behind-the-scenes moments from the show, including the time they survived the 1987 Whittier Earthquake.

Denise Cosby, who played Tashar Yar recalled both Jonathan Frakes' calm and Stewart’s confused ire.

“It was an early morning, six o' clock. I was in the makeup chair in the makeup trailer. Isn’t exactly the most steady trailer. [Frakes is] at the other end of the trailer shaving. That’s when he had no beard. He’s wearing a bathrobe. It was woman’s pink chenille bathrobe, two sized too small and he wearing it over his uniform.”

When the ground started shaking violently, they both ran out of the trailer.

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“Suddenly Entertainment Tonight is there. Hello, I’m ‘Suzy Chapstick, or something like that, from Entertainment Tonight, I’m here with Denise Crosby.” Crosby, was too stunned to speak and sent the reporter to Frakes. “Jonathan, without missing a beat, in this hot pink bathrobe, with half a face of shaving cream says, ‘Well, Suzy, we’re really fortunate to be here today. We’ve survived and we’re better for it.”

Stewart then picked up the story. He was driving. “I was indicating to turn right from Larchmont to Melrose when this new car that I’d only just bought [began to shake wildly], I thought, ‘shit.’ “

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Crosby added, “I just remembered you coming into the trailer and saying, “Bloody hell, I’m taking this car back. It’s brand new, and the thing is rattling. The goddamn thing rattles.”