The Host (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
| "The Host" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Next Generationepisode | |
| Episodeno. | Season 4 Episode 23 |
| Directed by | Marvin V. Rush |
| Written by | Michel Horvat |
| Production code | 197 |
| Original air date | May 11, 1991 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Host"is the 23rd episode of thefourth seasonof the Americanscience fictiontelevision seriesStar Trek: The Next Generationand the 97th episode overall. It was originally released on May 11, 1991, inbroadcast syndication.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of theStarfleetcrew of theFederation starship Enterprise-D.In this episode, DoctorBeverly Crusher(Gates McFadden) falls in love with Odan (Franc Luz), aTrillmediator.But after he is mortally injured, she discovers that "Odan" is actually asymbioticcreature that lives inside ahumanoidhost body. CommanderWilliam 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 monthspregnant,resulting in filming techniques used to conceal herabdomen.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 inStar 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 forThe A.V. Clubsaying that the reaction by Crusher made "perfect sense",[1]while others suggested that the statement regarding Crusher's views onhomosexualityshould 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 byMarvin V. Rush,the director of photography, and was written by Michel Horvat.
Plot
[edit]Odan (Franc Luz), a mediator, boards theEnterpriseto negotiate a peace treaty between two hostile groups. DoctorBeverly Crusher(Gates McFadden) is charmed by the man, and the two share a love affair during the trip. Odan refuses to use thetransporterand requests that ashuttleand pilot be provided for him; CommanderWilliam 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 insickbay,Dr. Crusher comes to learn that Odan is aTrill,a species which symbiotically lives within its host's body. It is further revealed by Lt. CommanderData(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 to 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 CounselorDeanna 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 theEnterpriseraces to meet the Trill ship, and has a deeply emotional moment with CaptainJean-Luc Picard(Patrick Stewart).
TheEnterprisesuccessfully 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 she 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 byMarvin V. Rush.Rush had been the director of photography for the series since the start of thethird seasonand 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 ofStar Trek: Voyagerand two ofStar Trek: Enterprise.
Story editorBrannon Bragawas 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. Moorestated that it had become aStar Trekstory 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 thathomosexualitywould be better accepted in the future.[3]The subject matter was revisited in theStar Trek: Deep Space Nineepisode "Rejoined",[4]which featured one of the earliesttelevised lesbian kisses.[5]
The character of Odan would return in non-canonStar Trekpublications, including in the short story "First Steps" withinThe Lives of Daxanthology. It also made two appearances inlicensed comics,first inDC ComicsStar Trek: The Next Generation Annualissue four and then inDivided we Fall,a crossover betweenThe Next GenerationandDeep Space Ninepublished under theWildStormimprint.[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 influorescentpaint to glow when ablack lightwas shone on it during that scene.[8]
The Trill later recurred inDeep Space Nine,with multiple hosts of theDaxsymbiont appearing on screen. The same makeup was initially used as in their originally appearance inThe Next Generation,however after two days of filming withTerry Farrellin 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 thefirst seasonepisode "Coming of Age".In" The Host ", it was namedHawkingfor thetheoretical physicistProfessorStephen Hawking.[2]
Reception and home media release
[edit]"The Host" aired inbroadcast syndicationduring the week commencing May 12, 1991. It receivedNielsen ratingsof 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.[10]
James Van Hise,in his bookThe Unauthorized Trek: The Complete Next Generation,called the introduction of the Trill an "element crucial" toDeep 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.[11]This "apparent homophobia" was said to have resulted in the episode being "widely criticized" by David Greven in his bookGender and Sexuality in Star Trek.[12]Keith DeCandido,in his article forTor,said it was difficult to give a fair review of the episode due to the Trill being explored in greater depth inDeep 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 forNerve,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".[13]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".[13]Zack Handlen gave the episode a rating of B+ in his review forThe 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 onVHScassette, appearing on July 23, 1996, in the United States and Canada.[14]The episode was later included on theStar Trek: The Next Generationseason fourDVDbox set, released in the United States on September 3, 2002.[15]The fourth season was subsequently released onblu-rayin the UK on July 29, 2013,[16]and July 30 in the United States.[17]
Notes
[edit]- ^abcHandlen, Zack (January 27, 2011)."Star Trek: The Next Generation:" Half A Life "/" The Host "".The A.V. Club.Archived fromthe originalon May 30, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.
- ^abNemecek (2003):p. 168
- ^abcdefGross & Altman (1993):p. 221
- ^Erdmann & Block (2000):p. 33
- ^Erdmann & Block (2000):p. 279
- ^abDeCandido, Keith (May 11, 2012)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch:" The Host "".Tor. Archived fromthe originalon June 15, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.
- ^Westmore et al; (2000):p. 116
- ^Westmore et al; (2000):p. 117
- ^Reeves-Stevens & Reeves-Stevens (1994):p. 16
- ^"Star Trek: The Next Generation Nielsen Ratings – Seasons 3–4".TrekNation.UGO Networks. Archived fromthe originalon October 5, 2000.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.
- ^van Hise (1995):p. 109
- ^Greven (2009):p. 39
- ^abKeppler, Nick."The Five Gayest Episodes of" Star Trek "".Nerve. Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.
- ^"Star Trek: The Next Generation – Episode 97 (VHS)".Tower Video.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.[permanent dead link]
- ^Ordway, Holly E. (September 9, 2002)."Star Trek the Next Generation – Season 4".DVD Talk.Archived fromthe originalon May 2, 2015.RetrievedDecember 21,2012.
- ^Simpson, Michael (July 29, 2013)."Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Blu-Ray Review".Sci-Fi Now.Archived fromthe originalon October 14, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 16,2016.
- ^"TNG: The Fourth Season and Redemption Blu-rays Out On July 30".StarTrek. July 13, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon July 26, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 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.
