Well, what can I say about this other than that it's the worst episode of the season. It has very few redeeming factors outside of those first couple scenes. It moves at the pace of my sister's turtle, and has very little real plot to it. They try to put some science behind the concept of mermaids, but since we've already had the whole discussion on man-made gills previously, the topic is frankly starting to get a little dull. It's really just a segue into next season. Even the Lucas B-plot is dull. It's your typical, teen peer pressure scenario encompassing the same growing pains as past episodes, just in a different vein. This time we bring sex into the picture (ooh...). Yawn. At least they bring back one of Lucas' former flames for a little bit of continuity. And come on, a conference "on the social phenomenon of post-adolescence"? How flimsy of an excuse is that? You passed college, can't you come up with anything better than that?
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
The DSL Suit - Pretty cool. And since Ford is over 34,000 feet deep at one point, I'm not surprised it's classified. Not quite sure as to the reason you would need to have a one-person suit like that so deep (there ain't too many places in the world deeper than 34,000 feet), but if the government is funding it, there must be some kind of need. (author's note: I did, months after writing this, stumble across mention of two similar systems that are already in use. One, called a newtsuit is for use up to 1000 feet deep. The other is used by the Navy for underwater salvage work and repair. There's an article on the Advanced Diving Suit 2000 [sometimes referred to as the Hard Suit 2000] if you're interested in the topic.)
Darwin's Speech - Bridger claims that this isn't a breakthrough. I highly disagree with him. I can't see how interspecies communication on more than a rudimentary level isn't a phenomenal breakthrough.
CHARACTERS:
Bridger claims Ford has "got the toughest psych profile on the boat." I'd agree. That is, after all, how they've set up the character all season long. He's one of the youngest officers ever to make commander, he's smart, morally sound, and although he still has plenty to learn, he's inherently good at command. He's also not prone to flights of fancy like Krieg.
Call me crazy, but I like the Krieg/Lucas dynamic they have going on in here. Krieg is immature enough to know what's on Lucas' mind when he comes in, but at the same time he's adult enough to recognize he can't change Lucas' mind. So he gives Lucas honest advice instead of a lecture. So many times adults see a teen about to make a mistake and waste both their time and the kid's by trying to make them see the 'error of their ways.' That's exactly the wrong tactic to take. After a certain point, you have to just cut kids loose and let them make their own mistakes, learn their own lessons in life. As long as you've done your job and instilled good values, you probably don't need to worry...too much. I'm glad to see Ben -- and for that matter, Bridger later as well -- recognize this.
Sort of on a related note, Bridger handles Lucas' speeding ticket (?!?! -- no comment) well. He speaks with not at Lucas. I think that's a sign to Lucas that Bridger regards him as a young man and not a kid.
mermaids and Abalon:
As I said, this is just a precursor to next season. Not only the human gills on Mika and her bros, but the whole fantasy aspect of it as well. Whereas season one is dominated by science, season two is all about fantasy, and season three went to war (when it wasn't trying to keep its head above water). It's a semi-intriguing idea, but a little beyond my abilities to suspend disbelief. Or maybe I would be able to with a better story and more full characters. I'll tell ya, I love Charlton Heston as much as anyone, but I will never understand his motivation for accepting the role of Abalon. There's no depth to the character. His scientific ideas weren't accepted, so he faked his death and went into hiding (been there, done that -- see "The Regulator"); so he moves under the water and continues his experiment on his kids (of which I don't see a mother around, so where did those three misfits come from?); then when society comes knocking again, potentially accepting of his ideas finally, he turns tail and stays hidden. I see no motivation behind any of his actions beyond a childish petulance at having his work scoffed at. And forget giving Ford a choice in his ... 'assimilation,' for lack of a better term. You made my daughter run away from home so I'm going to make you into a fish as punishment. Grow up.
QUICK QUESTIONS, QUERIES, QUANDRIES AND COMMENTS:
I'm surprised there are only two people watching the DSL suit tests, no matter how classified. They're still long tests and that much data being collected needs more than just two people to monitor it.
Lucas needs a woman in his life. He has no taste in clothes at all. Who in their right mind wears a sport coat to a party? At least when you're sixteen, that is.
Actually, fashions throughout this episode kind of suck. White robes? I know you're 135 and all, but you really do need to get with the times, Mr. Abalon.
If you remember back a few weeks to Krieg's singing debut with "Cheeseburger in Paradise" in "Whale Song," you'll perhaps have noticed the song going in the background this week while Ford is in the bar. It's another Jimmy Buffett song called "A Pirate Looks at Forty." (author's note: I discovered recently that on the DVD they changed the music in the bar scene. Instead of clearly hearing Jimmy singing, they changed it to the same music from the next scene. Like that kind of music would be playing in any bar on the planet. How lame!)
Is anyone else reminded of Captain Nemo when you look around Abalon's lair?
Granted, I've never seen Metropolis, but what is the point to this reference? Is there some sort of mermaid-like scene in there? Because otherwise that two line reference is a waste of 15 seconds of celluloid. (author's note: I have since seen Metropolis, and there is nothing in there I can think of that calls for a mention in this episode. Nada.)
"How many dead astronauts circle the globe?" Uh, none, actually. Grissom, White and Chaffee died on the ground, and the remains of the crews from both Challenger and Columbia returned to Earth (both accidents occurred within the Earth's atmosphere, after all). Even all the dead Soviet astronauts returned to Earth to the best of my knowledge.
BOB BALLARD MOMENT:
The deepest point on the Earth is 'Challenger Deep' off the island of Guam. The 35,810 feet of water pressure at that depth equates to 8 tons per square inch (dang!). In 1960, two people in the bathyscaphe Trieste set a deep diving record when they returned from there. And you thought you were under a lot of pressure at work! OK, OK, I'll stop with the bad jokes.
