'Lifesigns'

Stardate: 49504.3
Written By: Kenneth Biller
Directed By: Cliff Bole
Rating: **** (out of 5)

The Doc hasn�t done much experimentation with his program, at this stage, and I think it�s good we are delving into this side of the normally serious EMH.  Expanding his program could prove interesting and if we get more episodes like this I�ll be happy.

�Lifesigns� is a light drama intent on being a romantic episode for the Doc.  Finally the Doc becomes more than just a holographic physician and manages to deal with emotional issues concerned with being in love.

The story really pushes the envelope of believability, Danara Pel is a Vidiian Doctor who is dying and the Doc �ingeniously� puts the women�s synaptic patterns into a holographic representation of her.  In this way she looks like she would without the Phage.  Not an ugly creature, but a beautiful woman.  Danara is amazed by her new body and falls in love with the inept and serious doctor and doesn�t want to go back to her lonely and dull life.

The problems I have with this procedure is that the Doc is first able to put her synaptic patterns into a hologram, and secondly that Doc is able to create the hologram of her.  Why is the Doc programmed with information when he could harbor a virtual brain for himself?

This opens up endless possibilities.  Let�s bring back Kirk!  The computer memory that would be needed for the synapses, including memories feelings etc. would be enormous.  And can the computer even decipher that information?  I think this procedure is best forgotten.  It�s a pivotal part of the plot, but not a believable part of the plot.

Seeing the Doctor dealing with his feeling is amusing, and seeing Danara�s reactions are amusing too.  Neither of them have any experience in love, both of them like each other, both of them are Doctors and both of them have had lonely lives.  When the Doc tries to follow Kes�s advice he says to Danara � . . . and by the way, I�m romantically attracted to you and I was wondering if you felt the same?�  It was so typical of the Doc getting the wrong message from Kes.

Eventually they get alone together in Tom�s �Chevy on Mars� program and get involved with one another.  The music was well chosen for this scene too.  Later, Danara�s love causes her to try and kill her real body so she can stay with Doc.  The Doc convinces her to go back to her people and in the end she does and they share a final dance together.

While all this was happening we get some advances in the Kazon story and in Tom�s behavior that seems to be rising into something more than just Tom�s attitude.

Susan Diol played Danara well.  Robert Picardo also did very well as he tried to take hold of his feelings.  Roxanna Dawson also did well when she was confronted with having to donate some of her Klingon tissue to Danara.

The best thing about �Lifesigns� is that it takes a cliched premise and makes it fresh with sci-fi additions.  Sure those additions are hard to believe but it�s more unique than other plots of its type.  It�s good for the Doc, good for some fun and good for me.