Star Trek: Henglaar, M.D.

This podcast starts with a decent premise; it’s certainly interesting to center a show around a Starfleet medical team, but the show itself feels about as Trek as this review does so far. That is to say, passingly referential. It’s odd to say because it’s a technically heavy show with many references in the dialogue to Star Trek data and lore, but the result does not come off as Trek, so much as Matlock or Doogie Howser. Aside from the fact that many actors mispronounce names of established alien species and technobabble, the voice acting is otherwise credible, though the characters themselves are mostly unlikable. The writing was fine but not stellar and benefits heavily from seemingly excellent expert advisors. However, if you can get past the point that the writers take the time to set up the central mission of the characters to help the Romulans with an ongoing medical crisis and then abandon it for nearly every episode to deliver a stand alone medical monster of the week, with little or no reference to the Romulans, then you’ll find the plotting and pacing to work most of the time. Character development and sometimes in general character usage were both all over the place. And some things seemed to either disappear altogether or spring forth from nowhere like it had always been. But as I say, the technical writing was excellent and clear and always well delivered by the actors, so the show didn’t get bogged down or become dull. It just felt in general like there may have been too many cooks in the kitchen on this one. Perhaps for me the roughest and least correct part of the Trek feel comes from the score, which is well executed but completely wrong in tone, instrumentation, tempo, and feel of any Trek property. Especially the theme, which sounds more like the theme from Law & Order than anything Star Trek. It’s a credit to the production that more of the music from the original source was used in later episodes. The clarity of sound and effective sound editing and mixing were also a boon to the production, though still sometimes could have done more to help the overall feel of being on a starship. Overall though you should definitely listen to this podcast because these people worked hard and you should reward that with your time. The episode about Vonus is by far the best of the series, so at least give that one a listen. Congratulations to everyone involved.