2024/08/29
The second season of SeaQuest DSV was, in my opinion, not in the same league as the first season. Not to say that the second season is awful or that the 1st season is perfect, but there definitely is a difference in the quality of the stories and most likely also the intention about how season two was going to be. As I said in the season one blog, a number of important characters which made the 1st season what it was, were gone in season two. The explanation why they left or needed to leave, you can also read in the season one blog. So, several new characters were added, to replace the ones who left the show, but for me, they could not make me forget the characters from the first season.
These characters were new: Kathy Evison as Helmswoman Lonnie Henderson; Rosalind Allen as Dr. Wendy Smith; Edward Kerr - Lt. James Brody; Michael DeLuise - Tony Piccolo; Peter DeLuise – Dagwood. They replaced: Stacy Haiduk - Lt. Cmdr. Katherine Hitchcock; Stephanie Beacham - Dr. Kristin Westphalen; Royce D. Applegate - Chief Manilow Crocker; John D'Aquino - Lt. Benjamin Krieg. Especially Tony Piccolo I really found annoying, he tried to be funny, but it goes not further than trying! Dagwood, the Data from TNG regarding evoking emotion, was far from interesting, annoyingly innocent. Lt. James Brody was slightly more interesting, and the characters Lonnie Henderson and Dr. Wendy Smith were more interesting to me but that could also be the hormones speaking! 😊
Roy Scheider was also very vocal about the quality of the second season, and I also can imagine he was not happy that Stephanie Beacham opted to leave the show after the first season. Half the time the stories were set on land instead of on the sub at sea. It just wasn’t the same feeling I had with watching season one. And again, the first season wasn’t perfect, but it had a really good feel, because of these characters. For me the characters who did not come back for season two, were instrumental to that good feeling.
Having said that, season two isn’t all bad, it has some good stories, nice character moments, good action but it is just not in the same league as the first season. And then I do not even mean the quality of the stories itself, because these weren’t always that good in season one. I am confident that if the season one cast was stayed on, the 2nd season would have been a big improvement. Only rarely do I rate a 2nd season episode higher than 7.5/10.
The season opens with the episode “Daggers”, a two-part story where the new characters are all introduced. The first one we see is Lt. James Brody. The new storyline is not my favorite, about Daggers (aka aka GELF – Genetically Enhanced Life Form) who are imprisoned. The UEO don’t know what to do with them. They manage to take over the prison camp and Brody escapes, he works there. The Daggers want to be free. It gets out of hand, but ultimately only the ones who broke the law, will be held responsible. When Dagwood tells them how he is treated on SeaQuest, the Daggers surrender. I’m just grateful that most of the season the only Dagger we see is Dagwood. In “The Fear that Follows” The engineers of the alien spacecraft that the original SeaQuest discovered before her destruction receive the message sent by the crew and relay their intentions, through Darwin, to make first contact with the Human race. While the crew are ecstatic, General Thomas and a hot-shot UEO lieutenant can only see things from a military perspective. The aliens have a connection with Lucas and want him to go with them, these aliens are searching for life. When they leave it is like they never came, Lucas though seems to have a different view point, although he’s not sharing.
In “Sympathy for the Deep”, the SeaQuest gets called to a normally peaceful colony that is now experiencing mass hysteria and violence. Once SeaQuest arrives, the same thing starts happening to the crew. Some kind of a chaotic cloud is responsible for this, which should only exists in theory. Captain Bridger has an old girlfriend living there at the Miranda Colony. Guest starring Robert Foxworth. Note – Episode was uncomfortable to watch, that mass hysteria, the violence, the craziness, not my cup of tea. “Vapors” is a real dud if you ask me. A budding romance starts between the doctor and the captain, as well as O'Neill and Henderson. While on shore leave, Piccolo has some family troubles with his parents. They all have a day 0ff, not much happens. Four DeLuise actors in one episode. Two is already too much! In “Playtime” SeaQuest travels through an underwater black hole to 200+ years in the future. Once there they discover a super computer who created the black hole to bring them to the future to help save the last two people on earth. As long they cannot save them, SeaQuest has no way to go home. Note - It sounds exciting, it was average.
In “The Sincerest Form of Flattery” it all about Bridger, A malfunctioning A.I. sub begins firing at civilian targets. SeaQuest is sent to track it down and destroy it. During the fight it is determined that the sub is using Captain Bridger's mental profile for its A.I. logic. It’s Bridger to Bridger, for a while it seems that the AI is going to kill lots of people but our captain succeeds in changing its mind. It destroys itself in the end. Note - For me this episode didn’t stand out or anything. “By Any Other Name” Is a silly story, attacking plants. Few niceties but all in all a weak episode. Note - I cannot get used to that Piccolo character. Season two is totally different season till now and this is why it is so much less fun as its first season. “When We Dead Awaken” is about Brody and his mom, she had been cryogenically frozen but has awakened and escaped. She knows something damaging of another person she doesn’t remember and therefore they are trying to kill her. It turns out to be General Francis Gideon Thomas who has killed a girl and Brody’s mom witnessed this. Note - Episode is set, in part, on the ship and on land. More stories which aren’t set in our oceans.
“Special Delivery” is an episode about Dagwood and his violent twin(s). His child-like mind doesn’t comprehend what is happening with him and it takes him awhile before he remembers ‘growing’ up with another Dagwood. B-story is also not that interesting, the SeaQuest crew all have an appointment with the Doctor / counselor, especially Brody hates this. Note - Again not set on the sea. Barely average. “Dead End” is the best episode since the 2nd episode. One of the launches receives a distress call while returning to SeaQuest. While responding to the call the launch is sucked into an underwater cave where they find another scientist who has been trapped for days. Guest star - Gregory Paul Martin (Eyes, Babylon 5). One has to be left behind in order to get to the surface with the vehicle the other scientist came with. Lucas draws the short straw but the scientist takes Lucas’ place. When Lucas and the others are saved, he and Dagwood go back for the scientist. “Meltdown” is also barely average, A massive prehistoric crocodile is released from its icy tomb when extensive undersea farming and mining cause the temperature of the South Atlantic to rise. In “LostLand” SeaQuest may have found some artifacts from Atlantis. Bridges and Ortiz both put on the found helmet and after a pinch in their head, are acting rather strange. Note - Ortiz’ sword running thing might as well be an ode to Sulu’s Star Trek episode “The Naked Time”. Entertaining episode.
“And Everything Nice” is also solid episode but again, it is set on land instead in the sea. You begin to wonder why they have this boat! Lucas is being targeted, he is seduced by a girl who herself has been kidnapped. Behind it is a high ranking UEO official who is about to be discharged because of treason. He wants the SeaQuest. First time this season I rate an episode 8/10. “Dream Weaver”, SeaQuest is monitoring a meteor crashing into the ocean, Nathan’s friend Scott Keller wants to analyze it but there is nothing to be analyzed, it’s gone, it however transforms into an alien, an aggressive alien. After he caused mayhem on the boat, it escapes in the form of Loni Henderson. It is looking for a specific someone, Tobias LeConte (Mark Hamill), who is an alien to, of the same kind. LeConte is Scott’s teacher but is also wanted on his home planet because he teaches differently than the main narrative there. Note - First time Nathan Bridger is without a beard this season.
“Alone” is a Doctor Wendy episode, where A rogue psychic with tremendous powers targets UEO officials. Eventually all psychics are rounded up and placed in concentration camps. Wendy, who is the only hope of stopping the psychic, is also targeted by both the psychic and the UEO. Wendy is the only one who can stop him. This power is actually a person lying in a coma, thinking the real world is the fantasy world. Slightly below average. “Watergate” is not much better than the previous one. While enroute to a USO concert with a singer on board, the crew encounters some strange mythological spirits. Note - Singer is Dawn Robinson from En Vogue and Lucy Pearl. Annoying how the Doctor is ignorant about what she saw when the singer is been taken over by an entity. She of all people should have felt something with her psychic powers. “Something in the Air” is another solid episode. The SeaQuest is called to an underwater research station that has discovered an ancient mysterious ark. Once the ark is opened an evil spirit is released which begins to infect and attack the researchers. Note - Standard story we’ve seen many times but good executed Imo.
“Dagger Redux” is also a solid episode, O’Neill thinks he wants to resign, Bridger gives him 30 days to think about it. The Dagger leader is being rescued by a former hacker who hates SeaQuest and wants the Dagger to destroy the SeaQuest with an advanced ship he has created. She kidnaps O’Neill for the codes and attacks the SeaQuest. Note - The Ending is a bit of a letdown, letting someone go who was about to kill hundreds of people. “The Siamese Dream” is about Dagwood and Piccolo who shared a strange dream, but the dream is only a means to an end for an evil psychic who wants to board SeaQuest and steal some materials. Bridger doesn’t trust him, it used to be a lover of the doctor. He isn’t a man, he’s robotic. Co-written by Jonathan Brandis. “Blindsided” is also a forgettable episode and again, set on land. Piccolo's ex-cell-mate lures Tony into an escape plan. During the botched escape they crash into the jungle where an experimental cloaking warrior attacks them and the rescue crew sent from SeaQuest.
The season finale is probably the best of the season, “Splashdown”. SeaQuest is transported to another planet after responding to a message from Commander Scott Keller. Once there they get involved with a civil war and a possible fight to the finish. SeaQuest is drawn into a war on an alien planet and almost sides with the wrong side.
Final Word:
SeasQuest season two is barely a 6/10, that being said, I think I probably rate too high anyway. Yes, it has some good moments, a number of good enough episodes but for the most part it is very mediocre. That character Piccolo is one of the worst characters, yes, it becomes a bit better towards the end of the season but I would not miss him if he was gone. It is such a shame how the SeaQuest premise has been so messed up in season two, a real crime. One more season to go, 13 episodes, no subs, Blu-ray. If I remember correctly, I like season 3 better than season 2. Well I do miss Captain Nathan Bridger, but he drops by a few times.
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