Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we profile Kiaphet Amman'sor, one of the Xindi Council members seen multiple times on Enterprise.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp195
One of the interesting things about seeing the Xindi Council in Season 3 of Enterprise was the diversity of species leading this civilization. Amman'sor is one of the Xindi-Aquatics, which means the character is full CGI and is often seen in a fishtank. Instead of being silly, it adds a unique and interesting touch to the principle villains of this series.
Amman'sor serves on the Council as a representative and member of the wealthy Ibix Dynasty, and she serves as the primary voice for peace on the Council. For example, she initially opposes building any weapon against Earth, and she also encourages the Xindi to ignore the Enterprise when the ship first enters the Delphic Expanse. After finally agreeing to some form of weapon to defend her home world, she still leads opposition to development of a bio-weapon.
Yet eventually even this strong proponent of peace and non-involvement joins the rest of the Council in supporting action against the humans. If not for Captain Archer's arguments and willingness to share information in a biometric hologram to the Council, Amman'sor may never have played the critical role she does by delaying launch of the super weapon.
That of course leads to the Reptilians and Insectoids stealing the weapon, and a temporary alliance of convenience between the Aquatic Xindi and Captain Archer's crew. In the end, Kiaphet Amman'sor becomes one of the biggest reasons that the humans survive long enough to found the Federation. Even with only six total appearances, this character's importance cannot be ignored.
Kiaphet - "indistinguishable screeching"
Hoshi (translating) - "Irrelevant. We are here to discuss the human's claims."
No official credit is given for the voicing of this computer-generated character, as best we can tell.
The Xindi-Aquatics presented a lot of challenges and puzzles for the show runners on how to present such characters, but they figured it out nicely. The appearance is based loosely on Earth's aquatic creatures with some logical changes like hands in order to indicate they evolved to the next level of intelligence. Not only was this a chance to show off what the team could do in CGI, it was also an interesting take on what could be the future of a planet like Earth, if multiple types of species all become intelligent. Just the type of science fiction high-level concepts that we love in Star Trek.
If CGI is used to make characters in the new series, there's a lot of positives that hopefully will be repeated from Xindi Aquatics like Kiaphet Amman'sor. It would be interesting to see if an aquatic or similar unique character could be pulled off well at some point in that new series.
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Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Character Insight No. 196: Best of Anton Yelchin (Abramsverse Chekov), in memoriam
[[NOTE - This segment is numbered out of order of appearance on the TWIT show because it was inserted before the Kiaphet Ammansor segment 195 thanks to the untimely death of this actor]]
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Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we honor the memory of Anton Yelchin, who tragically died this week at the age of 27, by looking at some of his best work as Chekov in the Abramsverse as well as his other acting work.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp196
Anton Viktorovich Yelchin was born in 1989 in Leningrad, USSR. His parents were successful professional figure skaters and his grandfather played professional soccer, but he found his passion at a young age in acting after his family emigrated to the U.S. This earned him a first appearance at age 10 as a guest actor on the TV show ER, followed closely by one of his best roles as Bobby Garfield, the 11-year old child who centers in the movie Hearts of Atlantis alongside Anthony Hopkins. Here's one clip from his award-winning performance as a child actor:
Yelchin - There's got to me more to it than that.
Hopkins - Yeah there is.
Yelchin - So what's the real job then?
Hopkins - Look out...for low men.
After a few years of mostly television roles, Yelchin got his next and probably biggest break by winning the role of Chekov in the Star Trek reboot of 2009. Less than 20 years old at the time, his youth and exuberance stood out in multiple places despite being just one of a large ensemble cast:
Leonard 'Bones' McCoy: Wait a minute, kid. How old are you?
Pavel Chekov: Seventeen, sir.
Leonard 'Bones' McCoy: Oh... oh, good, he's seventeen.
Spock: Doctor...Mr. Chekov is correct.
Aside from Star Trek, the most critical acclaim for Yelchin likely came in 2011 when he starred alongside Felicity Jones as the romantic leads in the movie Like Crazy. This Sundance Film Festival favorite also saw Yelchin be tempted by another character played by Jennifer Lawrence before she started her rise to super stardom in X-Men and The Hunger Games, but he ends up back with Jones's character in the end.
Yelchin - Yeah I'll see you in half an hour.
Jones - Yeah I'll see you in half an hour.
Yelchin - I'll see you in a couple days. I'll get there for you.
Since 2011, Yelchin has appeared in other roles such as the title character of Odd Thomas, a movie based on a good Dean Koontz book series; as Chekov in Star Trek Into Darkness and the upcoming Star Trek Beyond, as well as some animated features. Although I have a soft spot for his portrayal of Odd Thomas, here's another favorite quote from Into Darkness in the role we all were becoming most accustomed to for Yechin:
Kirk: Mr. Chekov, you've been shadowing Mr. Scott, you are familiar with the engineering systems of this ship?
Chekov: Affirmative, sir.
Kirk: Good. You're my new Chief. Go put on a red shirt.
Chekov: Aye sir.
His remaining works other than Beyond include movies titled Rememory, We Don't Belong Here, Porto, and Thoroughbred. Unlike many of the current ensemble crew, Yelchin came into this Chekov role as largely unknown as an adult actor. However, he stood out and made the role his own, and he will be sorely missed if this crew continues on after this third Abramsverse movie.
In a year where so many stars are passing away, it just figures Star Trek would lose one. What's most unfortunate is that it's one of the youngest stars, who leaves us before his prime and even before the original Chekov actor Walter Koenig, despite being more than 50 years younger than Koenig. In mourning this loss, Koenig says it best when he gives condolences to the parents, as he also lost a son in a tragic accident years ago.
Rest in peace Anton Yelchin. And grim reaper, please take a vacation for the rest of the year.
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Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
--------------------
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we honor the memory of Anton Yelchin, who tragically died this week at the age of 27, by looking at some of his best work as Chekov in the Abramsverse as well as his other acting work.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp196
Anton Viktorovich Yelchin was born in 1989 in Leningrad, USSR. His parents were successful professional figure skaters and his grandfather played professional soccer, but he found his passion at a young age in acting after his family emigrated to the U.S. This earned him a first appearance at age 10 as a guest actor on the TV show ER, followed closely by one of his best roles as Bobby Garfield, the 11-year old child who centers in the movie Hearts of Atlantis alongside Anthony Hopkins. Here's one clip from his award-winning performance as a child actor:
Yelchin - There's got to me more to it than that.
Hopkins - Yeah there is.
Yelchin - So what's the real job then?
Hopkins - Look out...for low men.
After a few years of mostly television roles, Yelchin got his next and probably biggest break by winning the role of Chekov in the Star Trek reboot of 2009. Less than 20 years old at the time, his youth and exuberance stood out in multiple places despite being just one of a large ensemble cast:
Leonard 'Bones' McCoy: Wait a minute, kid. How old are you?
Pavel Chekov: Seventeen, sir.
Leonard 'Bones' McCoy: Oh... oh, good, he's seventeen.
Spock: Doctor...Mr. Chekov is correct.
Aside from Star Trek, the most critical acclaim for Yelchin likely came in 2011 when he starred alongside Felicity Jones as the romantic leads in the movie Like Crazy. This Sundance Film Festival favorite also saw Yelchin be tempted by another character played by Jennifer Lawrence before she started her rise to super stardom in X-Men and The Hunger Games, but he ends up back with Jones's character in the end.
Yelchin - Yeah I'll see you in half an hour.
Jones - Yeah I'll see you in half an hour.
Yelchin - I'll see you in a couple days. I'll get there for you.
Since 2011, Yelchin has appeared in other roles such as the title character of Odd Thomas, a movie based on a good Dean Koontz book series; as Chekov in Star Trek Into Darkness and the upcoming Star Trek Beyond, as well as some animated features. Although I have a soft spot for his portrayal of Odd Thomas, here's another favorite quote from Into Darkness in the role we all were becoming most accustomed to for Yechin:
Kirk: Mr. Chekov, you've been shadowing Mr. Scott, you are familiar with the engineering systems of this ship?
Chekov: Affirmative, sir.
Kirk: Good. You're my new Chief. Go put on a red shirt.
Chekov: Aye sir.
His remaining works other than Beyond include movies titled Rememory, We Don't Belong Here, Porto, and Thoroughbred. Unlike many of the current ensemble crew, Yelchin came into this Chekov role as largely unknown as an adult actor. However, he stood out and made the role his own, and he will be sorely missed if this crew continues on after this third Abramsverse movie.
In a year where so many stars are passing away, it just figures Star Trek would lose one. What's most unfortunate is that it's one of the youngest stars, who leaves us before his prime and even before the original Chekov actor Walter Koenig, despite being more than 50 years younger than Koenig. In mourning this loss, Koenig says it best when he gives condolences to the parents, as he also lost a son in a tragic accident years ago.
Rest in peace Anton Yelchin. And grim reaper, please take a vacation for the rest of the year.
--------------------------
Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Character Insight No. 194: Crewman Garvey
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we profile Crewman Garvey, a prolific background character who served as a security and tactical officer on The Next Generation.
Ironically for a character who shows up on nearly 70 episodes over five years, Garvey's first appearance is in the season 3 episode Yesterday's Enterprise in the alternate timeline shown in that episode. However, Garvey does appear in two roles which he becomes regular at in the real timeline: manning the tactical station at the bridge and being a security guard.
In that after capacity, Garvey is a quiet face in the crowd on many important away missions. For example, he witnesses the killing and resurrection of Lieutenant Worf in the episode Transfigurations. He also helped contribute to the mission that saved Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher, and Data from Melona IV following the destruction of the planet by the Crystalline Entity. In other words, he faces down some big events and threats while serving aboard Picard's Enterprise.
In that after capacity, Garvey is a quiet face in the crowd on many important away missions. For example, he witnesses the killing and resurrection of Lieutenant Worf in the episode Transfigurations. He also helped contribute to the mission that saved Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher, and Data from Melona IV following the destruction of the planet by the Crystalline Entity. In other words, he faces down some big events and threats while serving aboard Picard's Enterprise.
His only speaking line came in the episode The Game, where he is ordered by Captain Picard to go find Wesley Crusher:
Garvey - "On our way."
Background actor Joe Bauman, who played Garvey, wasn't even who delivered that line as it was some other uncredited voice actor! Go figure! He doesn't actually find Wesley either, just a phaser on deck 6.
In his other major security role, he guards quarters of people confined to quarters like the Ferengi Par Lenor and Qom as well as the Borg Hugh, and others who are arrested or detained at times like Data and Walter Pierce in Season 7. Around this same time, he also appears just as frequently at the tactical station or other aft stations of the bridge, especially with Worf not always available to man the post.
Garvey's final appearance was likely a reward for his long service on the TV show, as his character re-appears on the first TNG movie Generations. This was another regular face in the crowd, which is necessary when making seven seasons on a single ship like these series, even if it doesn't add much to the show or its characters.
The character was named in the show scripts after the baseball player Steve Garvey, who played for the LA Dodgers. Joe Bauman does not appear to have many other notable acting credits. His daughter Ryan is following in his footsteps as an actress, and his mother was a famous stage actress based in Cincinnati Ohio a few decades ago, ironically the home now of yours truly. From one Cincinnati guy to another, cheers Joe Bauman for your contributions to Trek.
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Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
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Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Character Insight No. 193: Gul Evek
Welcome back to Character Insight! This week, we profile Gul Evek, a Cardassian leader who shows up in all three TV series set in the 24th Century.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp193
Evek is a character who shows up a couple of times in Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation. His appearances range from those where he is the usual imperious and hostile Cardassian to others where he has moments of understanding with the Federation.
https://archive.org/details/CharacterInsightEp193
Evek is a character who shows up a couple of times in Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation. His appearances range from those where he is the usual imperious and hostile Cardassian to others where he has moments of understanding with the Federation.
Speaking of those moments of gray, Evek has more of those when dealing with Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew. In the episode Journey's End, Evek shows up early to try and expedite the transfer of a Federation colony to Cardassian control in the Demilitarized Zone, and that causes a skirmish. However, he decides to withdraw troops rather than escalate the situation, and he reveals his reasoning to Picard in a moment of true honesty:
Evek - "I lost two of three sons in the war, Captain. I don't want to lose the last one."
However, every Cardassian leader has to eventually become a thorn in the side, whether it's for Picard or Commander Sisko. When the Maquis become more aggressive in their attacks, Evek blames Captain Picard and Starlet for not doing enough to control the Maquis and slow the number of skirmishes in the DMZ. He also eventually goes so far as to plant photon torpedoes on a runabout and arrest Miles O'Brien as part of a plot to discredit the Federation efforts in the region.
In another less serious scene between O'Brien and Evek in the episode Playing God, the Gul describes how to solve a vole infestation aboard the Deep Space Nine station. Unfortunately, his help is basically a recommendation to withdraw from Bajor and the region. So helpful!
Evek - "You've got the station, you've got the voles. By the way, their mating season begins in about six weeks."
O'Brien - "Thanks for your help"
Evek does hold an interesting distinction by appearing in the Voyager pilot Caretaker: he's one of only four total characters to appear in these three different series. The others are Q, Morn, and Quark. Much like Admiral Nechayev, the role of Evek was redone in multiple episodes across multiple shows because it served the purpose of establishing continuity with the Maquis storylines while also rewarding the actor Richard Poe who took really well to the part.
Speaking of Poe, he enjoyed the variations and depth in approach the Cardassian would take to reach his goals of defending his people. He enjoyed the balance between being a strict constructionist of rules and also having some humanity in him, and that showed in the complexities of character he added in these few appearances. Evek continued to show up as a central character in several Maquis related novels and comics.
Richard Poe has also done some voice acting work for video games as well as many other TV shows including different iterations of Law and Order, and most recently, on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
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Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
Feedback can be sent to me with future segment suggestions on Twitter @BuckeyeFitzy.
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