Time For Time Force Traitor

Speaking of Star Trek, we learn in this episode that junk food doesn't exist in 3000. Star Trek likes to preach that they've gotten rid of the evils of junk food or food that's not healthy. Or, if you really want it, you can replicate junk food, but it will leave out the unhealthy ingredients. But booze is OK! Star Trek can have strange priorities.

A good episode that works in the cop theme -- the un-thawed monster is Jen's first partner, Steelix, who was a dirty cop who she helped bring down. It's nice when the show shows more of 3000, something Timeranger rarely did. The monster decides to get his revenge through brainwashing Jen into turning on her new partners, resulting in a long fight with Wes. It's a great idea for an episode, but it needed to not be afraid to push it further. The fight between Jen and Wes revolves more around their connection as officers than the love interest angle, even if it's implied, when this was the time to fully commit to that. (Sure, what breaks Jen free of the spell is a Magic Hug, but...the scene doesn't have the power it should. And they end the episode on a goofy laugh, that Jen cooks something for Wes that doesn't taste good, ha-ha. Ha.)

But this episode goes a long way in filling in some of Jen's background. Remember before she said that she was on the verge of quitting being a cop when she met Alex. It's easy to fill in that maybe turning in her first partner led to her doubting herself and possibly being shunned and hating her job and possibly losing faith in her profession.

For its flaws, it still beats the Timeranger episode, which was just goofy. (But it thought it was REALLY cool.) There, the monster is still a former colleague of Yuuri's, but one who became obsessed with her and stalked her, so she reported him. He then goes on to brainwash her to try to get her to kill for him, exerting his control on her. It really doesn't work because of it being a suited monster and because the suit actor is FUCKING ATROCIOUS. He can't stop moving, it's like they plucked some tween from their high-school play. (Time Force sticks mostly to their own guy, thankfully.) He's just so bad, it's distracting.

Also, Masaru Nagai is way off in this episode, laying on extra helpings of a jittery and angry mood in his search for Yuuri that just comes across as really bogus. The episode just doesn't work. Time Force makes it a more believable, personal episode, filling in some of Jen's professional past, with Cahill much more believable as a cop AND leader than Katsumura ever is.