Alternate Lives

Yet another guide for the web site, this time taking a closer look at the work that has been done by the cast of Star Trek in other TV shows, films etc. casting a critical eye over their performances and the shows in general. We won't try and concentrate exclusively on new or relatively new shows, instead this series will build up to be a handy reference guide in search out weird and wonderful appearances of your favourite Trek stars. If you would like to review a film or TV show not listed here, please get in touch. Anyway, without wasting any more time, on with the reviews...

TERRY FARRELL (Jadzia Dax)

Back To School (Film)

Starring American comedian Rodney Dangerfield as multi-millionaire Thornton Melon, this film tells the story of Melon (Dangerfield) trying to encourage his son, Jason (Keith Gordon) to stay on at college. In order to persuade him to stay, he decides to enrol himself... and soon becomes the most popular man on campus! Terry, in one of her early film roles, is playing Valerie Desmond, one of Jason's fellow students and would-be love interest.

The film is supposed to be a comedy, but unless you have heard of Rodney Dangerfield and you like his style of humour, you will find the film pretty dull and monotonous. I can actually remember seeing this film when it was first released (before I had heard of Terry Farrell) and I wasn't impressed with it then.

Terry does a reasonable job with the lousy script, but her character is pretty two-dimensional and doesn't really stretch her acting abilities. The only other highlight for Trek fans is a cameo appearance from Robert Picardo, and a co-star role for Sally Kellerman (Dr Elizabeth Dehner from the Classic Trek episode "Where No Man Has Gone Before"). Another interesting point to note is an early role for Robert Downey Jr playing Jason Melon's roommate, Derek Lutz.

MICHELLE FORBES (Ro Laren)

The Outer Limits - "A Stitch In Time"

Michelle appears in this episode from the second season of The Outer Limits (the new run, naturally!), and plays an FBI agent, Jamie Pratt, who is investigating a case where there have been a number of murders since 1956, all seemingly independent of each other, but all of which used the same murder weapon and the victims all appeared to be killed in the same way.

While looking deeper into the case, evidence points to university lecturer Dr Theresa Givens (Amanda Plummer) who wasn't even born until after the first murder. In reality, she is behind all of the murders using a time travel machine going back in time and killing convicted murderers before they can commit any crimes, her most recent victim being the killer of a friend of Pratt's. However, no matter what she does to cover her trail, new evidence continues to spring up pointing the finger at her...

This is an absolutely gripping storyline. It's always difficult to write good material using time travel as a central theme, but her it has been handled more than admirably. To start with, the episode has an X-Files feel to it, but it quickly moves away from this and creates its own identity and is all the richer for it. It's a great solid story, and the twist at the end will be a surprise to most viewers.

Michelle Forbes puts in a superb performance as the persistent agent, and the role looks as if it was written specifically for her. While she has done well in episodes of Star Trek that she has appeared in, I don't think that she has put as much into a role as she does here. It is simply superb work, and this is an episode well worth tracking down.

JONATHAN FRAKES (William T Riker)

Cybil - Episode Title Unknown

Jonathan makes a rather unusual guest appearance in this untitled episode from the first season of Cybil starring Cybil Shepherd. For those of you who have never seen the show, Cybil Shepherd plays the role of a struggling actress, and in this episode she has just landed a guest role in a sci-fi series playing a reptilian alien who falls for a character played by Jonathan Frakes (who is playing himself in the episode). After they finish filming, Jonathan asks Cybil out on a date, who flatly refuses, and spends the whole episode chasing after her!

Unfortunately, Jonathan's appearance in the episode is relatively brief, appearing just in the teaser and the closing scene, but he is mentioned throughout. As with the series overall, it is an extremely funny episode and shows just how good American comedy can be (and certainly teaches us a thing or two!). There are plenty of in-jokes throughout for Trekkers such as the costume worn by Jonathan at the beginning (a blue uniform not too dissimilar to his TNG outfit), and when he initially asks Cybil out he mentions that he is going to a convention as a guest of honour and asks her to beam down with him!

The main plot of the episode focuses on Cybil's best friend Maryam who is about to start dating again after a divorce, and this leads to more references to Jonathan. One of the best lines comes when Cybil is trying to set Maryam up on a blind date. They go to a restaurant with one of Cybil's ex-husbands Ira, and Jonathan tracks them down and calls her there. Cybil answers the phone and tells Jonathan that she is on her date and asks Ira to prove it, telling him that she has the second-in-command of the Enterprise on the phone. Ira picks up the handset and shouts, "Listen Nimoy, stay away from my woman!"

The episode closes with Jonathan's second on-screen appearance which sees him turning up at Cybil's house, but she refuses to answer the door to him. Disappointed, Jonathan pulls out a communicator, decides to try Candice Bergen's house instead, and is transported away!

A superb episode and well worth checking out for Jonathan Frakes fans everywhere.

The Twilight Zone - "But Can She Type?"

Starring Pam Dawber (of "Mork And Mindy" fame), the story focuses on a secretary who is becomming disillusioned with her work. Then, an accident with a photocopier transports her into another dimension where secretaries are highly regarded and the work raises secretaries almost to celebrity status.

Jonathan has a minor cameo role in this episode as a guest at a party in the other dimension that the secretary attends. He tries to impress her and starts flirting and seems taken aback when she says she is a secretary! He can then be seen throughout that scene in the background, but only has a few lines.

A good episode, but not up to the standards set by the original Twilight Zone series.

ROBERT PICARDO (Emergency Medical Hologram)

Back To School (Film)

Robert Picardo also had a role in this film. Robert's role is more of a cameo appearance as a character called Giorgio - a gigolo who is seeing Thornton Melon's wife behind his back, and if you don't know what to look our for, you'll miss his appearance! Very little dialogue, loud clothing, and once again he's wearing that damn wig!

WILLIAM SHATNER (James T Kirk)

Muppets Tonight

In a shock move, William Shatner made a surprise guest appearance in the Muppets Tonight show which featured Whoopi Goldberg. The running story for the show saw Miss Piggy trying to get to the studio in time for a duet with Whoopi. After her arrival, she had to leave in a hurry and we saw her take a flight home...

Then the fun starts! Miss Piggy was sitting on the plane reading a book - "Man O War" by William Shatner - and she notices a creature on the wing of the plane tearing pieces from it. Shortly, the camera pans across to Shatner sitting next to her, who goes on to say how brilliant the book is and how good the audio novel is - read by Shatner, of course! Miss Piggy is continually distracted by the creature until Bill refers to him getting used to it happening.

This was an absolutely hilarious scene. As I have said before, give Bill comedic dialogue and he performs brilliantly, and this was no exception. The references to "Man O War" were wonderful, and Bill delivered his lines with tongue placed firmly in cheek. What was even better was that the scene worked even if you weren't familiar with the classic Twilight Zone episode that it was lampooning ("Nightmare At 20,000 Feet" which starred Shatner!).

When I first saw this, I thought that Miss Piggy was just reading Bill's book... until the camera pulled out and revealed the man himself. After this, I was a little lost for words! Overall, this is a superb appearance marred only by its brevity.