When
the Andromeda is attacked by unknown hostile forces, Dylan finds himself
in conflict with Beka and Tyr, who believe his battle engagement strategies
are dangerously obsolete.
IN BRIEF
A well-paced and well-executed
combat episode that features some interesting crew tension and interaction.
(originally aired the
week of October 23, 2000)
Written by Ashley Edward
Miller & Zack Stentz
Directed by Allan Eastman
RATING (OUT OF FOUR)
***
CLEVER CRITIC'S TEMPTATION
Any negative reviews of
"D Minus Zero" might require great efforts of self-control to avoid referring
to the title as an academic grade.
ANALYSIS
Warning: This review
contains significant spoilers for Andromeda episode "D Minus Zero".
If you haven't seen the episode yet, beware.
If for no other reason, "D
Minus Zero" is a triumph because it moves effortlessly forward thanks to
its underlying simplicity. After last week's extremely disappointing "To
Loose the Fateful Lightning", which tried to build a complex moral
play out of messy, implausible parts that didn't hold any water, "D Minus
Zero" plays like an opposite -- the narrative is clean, confident and exciting
in a way that doesn't try so hard to be "cerebral." There's plenty going
on under the surface, but what's proven here, I think, is that what goes
on at the surface is every bit as important for making a good hour
of television.
About underlying simplicity:
We've got Our Heroes, and we've got the Bad Guys. The bad guys come out
and open fire within the show's first three minutes. Who are the bad guys?
It's to the story's credit that we don't find out (and I have a feeling
we haven't seen the last of them). They're a faceless enemy shrouded in
mystery. The point here is that they're aggressive and not at all willing
to communicate.
In the High Guard, this day
would've been known as "D Minus Zero" -- the first day of hostilities.
And as Dylan points out, the top priority on D Minus Zero is to learn as
much as you can about your enemy. The problem in this case is how you learn
about an enemy when the (silent) horse's mouth is your only source of information.
"D Minus Zero" uses this
basic premise as the backdrop to establish some of the series' ground
rules for space combat and, most importantly, further flesh out attitudes
held by the characters. There's tension and personality here, which grows
organically out of the characters we've seen so far.
The first act sets the tone
when the shooting starts and Beka attempts to overrule Dylan's decision
to return fire rather than retreat. He's not happy about being countermanded
in the middle of battle where timing is everything. She doesn't like him
tempting fate while putting her crew at risk.
Both have a point. Dylan's
case is supported by the fact that, well, it's his ship and command
can't work if his authority is undermined -- and he's been through real
battles before. Beka's case is a good one too: Most of the crew are her
own people -- her friends -- and she feels a great deal of responsibility
for them and intends to look out for their safety.
Still, for this arrangement
to function, Beka's going to have to put some faith in Dylan's abilities
as a commander.
Next page: other character
developments
~
Questions of character
What's also good is that
Dylan realizes he's part of the problem. Being 300 years out of your element
can't be easy, and there's a discussion here where he confides in Andromeda
about the possibility he is the weak link in this uneasy new group. Andromeda,
nicknamed here "Rommie"
(which for simplicity's sake I will use henceforth to refer to the ship's
personality), provides moral support.
I like their rapport, and
there's a poignant little moment where a miniature Rommie hologram reaches
up toward a photograph of Dylan as if to stroke it affectionately. Hints
of sexual tension between Dylan and Rommie were established in the closing
moments of "Lightning," and this seems to continue that in an appealing,
unobtrusive way. We realize that if it weren't for Rommie, Dylan would
truly have been alone in this time frame.
In addition to the core aspect
of the Dylan/Beka conflict, there's also a strong Dylan/Tyr aspect to the
episode. Keith
Hamilton Cobb gets a chance to carry some important character scenes,
which he does with a laconic riff that's perhaps familiar (Trek's Worf
was equally laconic, albeit with a different style and less sarcasm), but
which suits the character quite well. He has a ruthlessly funny line after
the ship takes heavy damage ("Blind and crippled. If Andromeda were my
child, I'd drown it."), and so perhaps with some luck I'll get my weekly
dose of laconic, cynical one-liners from Cobb now that Steven Hill is no
longer on Law & Order.
Tyr has an impetuous battle
ethic and opinions he's not afraid to voice. When Harper can't adequately
pilot a remote fighter to fend off an assault, Tyr takes his own fighter
out of position to compensate for Harper's "incompetence" -- a strategically
unwise move that leaves Tyr's own zones vulnerable. When Dylan confronts
Tyr for this tactical disobedience, Tyr points out one of Dylan's own problems,
which is pretty well stated: "You haven't the first idea how unforgiving
this universe has become, and I will not allow you to forget at my expense."
It's good that Dylan realizes he's dated, but it's also good that the other
characters call him on it.
Since this is mostly a Dylan/Beka/Tyr
episode, Harper and Rev are in supporting character mode. Harper has a
laid-back theory on fate and death that is akin to a bug hitting a windshield.
He's pragmatic, and wants to do his part to help Dylan even if Dylan is
crazy for taking on such an ambitious mission.
Rev shows up as the voice
of keen observation. After a rough battle where the ship takes a pummeling,
he approaches Dylan to convey the concern of generally overwhelming circumstances.
The way he conveys this concern is what's interesting: no explicit suggestions,
no griping or complaints, but simply a quick rundown of his observations.
Back to the explosions
I'm glad I can discuss "D
Minus Zero" in terms of characterization even though the story's real action
revolves around a series of space combat sequences and tactical maneuvers.
Particularly noteworthy is that the weapons
in this universe all seem to be missiles or other projectile-based
explosives rather than phaser-like energy beams. At one point Andromeda
runs as a slew of missiles chases the ship through space. And the idea
of remote fighters controlled from the Andromeda command deck is plausible.
There's a familiar sequence
where the Andromeda hides out in the corona of a star to evade the enemy,
who lurk in high orbit waiting for the inevitable moment when the Andromeda
must flee the heat. Most of this is pretty well executed, and there's the
sense that the enemy is a formidable foe. At one point Dylan asks out loud,
"Who are these guys?" (Were Miller & Stentz thinking of Butch
Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Because I was.) The pacing and effects
are right on target.
The primary tactical revelation
comes when Dylan has Harper build a device that will make the Eureka Maru
look like the Andromeda. The plan is that the Maru will be flown out as
bait, at which point the Andromeda will swing around and blow away the
bad guys. This allows the writers to weave in the story of the tension
onboard the Andromeda, right up to a turning point where Beka and Tyr decide
to take their chances rather than wait for Dylan to act. The pain on Beka's
face when Trance
and Rev say they will not be bailing on Dylan with her is a good moment
sold by Lisa Ryder.
Weak links in the chain
"D Minus Zero" is not perfect.
There's an underlying contrivance in that I didn't understand the need
for Dylan to keep his brilliant plan (using the Maru as a decoy) hidden
from most of his crew until some of them have grown so impatient as to
nearly walk out on him. This is hardly a time to be testing the limits
of your crew's patience -- especially when they're looking for a sign of
your competence. It's more of a writer's conceit to permit us the dramatic
twist where Dylan reveals he intends to "light up the Maru like a Christmas
tree" (which, by the way, is a neat moment, even if manufactured by the
plot).
I'll also have to admit I
was somewhat annoyed by the bombardment of Beka's quips toward the end
("See ya, wouldn't want to be ya," etc.). I don't have a problem with non-serious
anachronistic dialog, but I'd prefer a bit less of it considering here
it seems to exist for the sake of itself.
Last, I must repeat that
I don't yet understand Trance's purpose on this series. While "D Minus
Zero" gave good moments to all the other characters, Trance fell by the
wayside again. Yes, she's
young, she's mysterious, she's apparently being routed into the series'
medic role, but she's still not striking me as remotely interesting or
necessary. (In "An
Affirming Flame", Trance took Dylan's side as she does here, but there
was more conviction there -- here it's more arbitrary.)
Overall, the episode works
simultaneously as a combat episode and a show that highlights emerging
dynamics between members of the crew.
Perhaps the key strengths
of "D Minus Zero" can be summarized in the moment when the bad guys explode.
Interestingly, they blow up by their own hand -- an apparent self-destruct
after having been outwitted and forced into a position of surrender. Tyr
was just about to swing around with a remote fighter and blow them out
of the stars anyway -- against Dylan's orders -- but he never got the chance.
Tyr notes how Andromeda has been cheated out of victory. Dylan notes how
the aggressors destroying themselves prevents him from obtaining the type
of knowledge he'd hoped to gain on D Minus Zero.
Both are interesting points
from very different philosophies, with some conflict running through it
all. It reveals how this universe -- nothing like the Commonwealth of 300
years ago -- stands in a mysterious, ominous chaos . . . especially mysterious,
I think, to Dylan.
TUNE IN NEXT WEEK
Tyr's treachery ("I did it
all for the nookie, the nookie...") takes center stage in "Double Helix".
Copyright 2000 Jamahl
Epsicokhan. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution
of this article is prohibited.
Andromeda is clearly
staking out new territory. Love it or hate it, let
us know.
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