5.22 — “Imaginary Friend”
Plot: The Enterprise is invaded for the second time in three episodes by an intelligent sparkly light with malevolent intent. This time it takes the form of a little girl’s imaginary friend. This will show up all those grown ups who think they what’s real more than a six-year-old.
Thoughts: The genre of mischievous lights invading the Enterprise (cheap special effect!) goes back at least as far as “Day of the Dove” (TOS 3.7) and “The Lights of Zetar” (TOS 3.18), and includes TNG episodes like “Lonely Among Us” (TNG 1.7) and “The Child” (TNG 2.1). What was the one where they beat the alien by turning off the lights? The best sparkly light episode, imho, is “Metamorphosis” (TOS 2.9), although that doesn’t take place on board the ship. “Imaginary Friend” is an undistinguished entry into the sub-genre.
If you’re going to do horror with children, à la Kubrick’s The Shining (1968), I think you should go all out. There should at least be a jump scare where Isabel is found hiding in the closet. Or, maybe go back to the drawing board and try a different idea. Such as, anything.
I suspect young kids have imaginary friends for a reason, and the reason isn’t that they are generally unable to distinguish fantasy from reality. Clara should have realized something is up sooner with Isabel, and figured out faster that it is something she needs to tell to an adult. But I’m not a parent?
When I saw the 30-second promo for this episode, I was half expecting to find a remake of “And the Children Shall Lead” (TOS 3.4), following last week’s reworking of “Elaan of Troyius.” Sadly, that would have been better. At least it’s good to reinforce that Troi has a real job counseling families aboard the ship.
1 of 5 clay pots. It doesn’t look to me like Alexander had been working on that thing for two weeks. It is nice, however, to see that Alexander can be in a story without being the focal point of the story.
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