It's rare that an episode of anything manages to combine both serious topics and humor, which is what the writers are trying to do here. Too bad they're only partially successful. I mean, sure, the problems with crew manifesting and a lack of bunks is usually a good source of jokes. What they forget is that most subs operate on a system called, I believe, hot bunks. This means that the bunks are shared among more than one person. When one group is on duty, the second sleeps; when the second then goes on duty, the first sleeps in the same bunks. It's a great, efficient way to conserve space. So no one on seaQuest should be unfamiliar with sharing a room, or with cramped living space. But it's still good for a laugh, and thankfully they don't try to milk it for more than it's worth. Same with the bureaucracy. For those of us who have the distinction to work for the government in some capacity, we're painfully aware of the term 'government efficiency.' Where this episode really fails is when it tries to get serious in the second half. I know the topic of Lucas' coming of age and feeling out of place needs to be dealt with (as I've already discussed), and in a way he needs to see someone who began in similar circumstances (i.e. the Regulator) to see what might happen. But I have some serious problems with the Regulator's character. And this episode doesn't really fly because of that.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
I just adore the fact that even the most technologically advanced ship on or under the oceans still has simple little problems caused by parts no bigger than your fingertip.
Hemosponge - I don't know why, but I was surprised to discover that the history of this guy is basically just as they describe. I found mention of an article in a Duke publication about this. If you recall, in The Abyss they use a similar liquid breathing apparatus. I'm not sure just how advanced this whole idea really is, though it sounds like it may be one of those things that's a stepping stone to bigger and better things -- kind of like the Wright Brothers' glider was to the airplane.
Spherical Evolution - This week's biggie. Just doing a simple google search came up with nothing on this idea. The closest it came up with had to do with particle physics. Personally, it sounds like a big load of hooey to me. The whole path of reasoning is not exactly a straight line (no pun intended) and I don't think any Vulcans will be lining up to proclaim it logical anytime soon. That's not to say that people who may believe in it are crazy or anything, just that I personally cannot see how it makes any sense.
For the second time in three weeks we hear the idea of using sponges as a filtration system. I still think it's a pretty cool idea.
Sonic Stun Gun - I'm still wrangling with this one. To the best of my knowledge, current technology requires contact with the gun to impart a jolt of electricity to the attacker. I do, however, remember reading an article in the LA Times a few months back (couldn't find a copy of it unfortunately) about a new technology being developed that utilizes directional sound. Only a person standing directly in front of the device would get blasted with the concentrated beam of sound (so to speak). You ramp this sound up to really high levels and you can cripple an attacker, but not harm innocent bystanders. The way the stun guns are explained here seem closer to this, but less concentrated. If that's true, I don't quite understand how effective they can be. There could be lots of collateral damage, in a manner of speaking, which is why the military likes the version I was describing above.
CHARACTERS:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- I enjoy getting to meet some of the 'lower decks' crew. These people are who really keep the ship going from day to day and they deserve a little recognition.
Verne is adorable. I'm not much of an orangutan (or any kind of monkey for that matter) fan, but I'll make an exception for Verne. He's perhaps the best character in the episode. What I don't get, though, is why they act like he's so dangerous when he's finally cornered on sea deck. OK, you're surprised he's there, but after the initial shock wears off you really should realize he's no threat.
The Reglator:
As I was sitting there watching this episode and taking notes on it, I noticed for the first time just how inconsistent this character is. They start out trying to make him a mean, nasty old SOB, but by the end he's a sniveling, whining genius gone wrong. I think Bridger's description is 'weird genius,' which is quite a good term for the Regulator. Now I haven't known too many geniuses, let alone weird geniuses, but somehow I don't think many of them have violent tendencies. Ruthless, maybe, since the world of academia can be cutthroat when it comes to getting tenure sometimes, but not particularly violent. In fact, most of the time geniuses get labeled eccentric, or many times timid and retiring. I realize Ferina has tried to reinvent himself with the whole Regulator persona, but I have a very hard time believing he could go so far as the person we're first introduced to. I just can't reconcile that first view with what he becomes toward the end. It is nice, however, that they give Lucas (and us) a chance to see one possibility for the future. I'm not sure Lucas is the sort that will likely end up the same way, especially having been introduced to Bridger. Bridger's a stabilizing factor in Lucas' life, one that I don't think many 'weird geniuses' get as a teenager, which is part of the reason so many become eccentric. But at the same time, it would be very easy for Lucas to fall prey to the occasionally attractive lifestyle people like the Regulator lead. What I don't understand is how Lucas is so taken with the Regulator so fast. This wildly dressed guy shows up and Lucas is suddenly enamored with him? I could understand it if Lucas were familiar with Ferina's theories, but he doesn't hear those until later. I will say, however, that the Regulator's real name is a nice counterpoint to his exterior. He comes across as a rough, mean sort (as Crocker says, he "[doesn't] appear to have dressed aboard the good ship Lollipop"), but the name Leslie has a more feminine connotation to it. Interesting dichotomy there.
QUICK QUESTIONS, QUERIES, QUANDRIES AND COMMENTS:
If you'll notice, music, especially rock and roll, seems to be an ongoing, underlying theme throughout the show. I can think of several instances that it shows up in one incarnation or another.
One of the things they never really explain is how Bridger knew Ferina originally. They explain about how he knew Ferina was still alive, but not how he knew him to start with.
One thing I'm a little unclear on is the Regulator's claim that dolphins came out of the ocean and then went back in. This is something I've never come across before, and I have no idea if it is based at all on fact. If you can shed some light on this topic, please, drop me a line. (author's note: I have been told that there are fossil records dating 30 or 50 million years which show that dolphins' ancestors were actually amphibians that came from the sea. They were mammals, but not like land mammals we think of today like dogs or horses and such, but they did have legs which they eventually lost or turned into flippers when they returned to the sea.)
ALERTS FOR THE FUTURE:
So much of this episode is a precursor for later events in "Abalon."
BOB BALLARD MOMENT:
Scientists have been experimenting with liquid breathing by circulating oxygen-rich fluid through human lungs. One man survived for up to 45 minutes with this. Bob then goes on to say that the average depth of the ocean is 12,000 feet, but the deepest a diver has gone down is a little over 2200 feet (I'm assuming he means without a sub).
