Promises (2013) Review

 

Promises is a very enjoyable story, but it just seems... inconsistent with what we know about these characters. 

WRITTEN BY

Nigel Fairs, bringing another mystery thriller that contrives to make us see an established character in a new light. 

PLOT

Cally and Space Commander Travis find themselves imprisoned in a crumbling Federation relay station on Saurian Minor, both summoned there by their mutual acquaintance Scetona Clorensis. When Clorensis herself fails to appear, the two are forced to cooperate to escape and uncover the purpose behind her actions... 

ANALYSIS

I kinda struggle with this one, because on one hand, it's a story that's executed in a very compelling way, adding a lot of insight towards characters whom the show doesn't typically focus on. But then I have some serious problems with the fundamental premise, and that undercuts the whole thing. 

Going back to Saurian Major and seeing more of Cally the rebel - I'm onboard with that 100%. It's done tastefully and really gets us into the mindset of the character as she was when we first met her in Time Squad. Same with Travis. He's been given a love interest that doesn't at all detract from the kind of person who Travis is, but rather actually adds a whole layer to his personality. Basically, I think the flashbacks are pretty perfect, and I wouldn't mind having two extra stories just to explore those periods in the characters' lives more.

What trips Promises up is the present. There's a deep rivalry created between Travis and Cally that is nowhere near close to being resolved at the conclusion of this episode, and it completely screws with the show's timeline. Unless there's a sequel(and I don't think there is), this major thread is left hanging. The story feels incomplete. Cally hasn't managed to take her revenge, but we're supposed to believe that she reverts back to sanity purely because of pills? Does that mean that her empathetic attitude was just her being on medication for the entire series? Cause that'd be really dumb. 

And that leads us to the second major problem, which is that tying Travis to the deaths on Saurian Major is utterly silly. The universe is big - it doesn't need Travis or Servalan to be behind every specific Federation-related horror. 

It's a real pity, because I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. If it wasn't for these logical issues, Promises would easily be the best Nigel Fairs-penned story so far. But I can't look past them. 

CHARACTERS

My greatest positive was having Stephen Greif back, and I think he tremendously enjoyed having something new to do with Travis. Greif's military gruffness is as cool as ever, but there's an underlying humanity to him now that's apparent in more than just the performance alone. Travis clearly isn't quite as loyal as he's convinced others and himself(a good setup for his actions in Series B). But he's doomed always to see the worst in everything. In that aspect, he kind of reminded me of Avon, or what Avon could have become if he didn't have a predilection towards doing the right thing. Travis has no faith whatsoever in a world without a dominating evil force. That's what keeps him going, but as we know, it ends up becoming his downfall. 

I was mesmerised by how Jan Chappell disappeared into the role of Scetona. Her mannerisms were so different that I could only hear Scetona, not Chappell simply performing another role. And the irreverent Scetona's a brilliant addition to the canon, much better than old Gustav Nyrron. I love how much they build on her apparent goodness and loving relationship with Travis, only to pull the rug out from under our feet and reveal her to be as twisted as him. Truly a match made in hell. 

As for Cally herself, Chappell recreates the grim-faced warrior version of her just fine, but as I said, I just don't buy that she'd become a psychotic. Or rather, I don't buy that it happened when the show blatantly showed it not happening. It makes sense in the context Fairs provided, but without any kind of follow-up, her hatred of Travis just seems like a convenient excuse to have this one-off adventure. We're supposed to believe that after all she did to trap him and that maniacal speech about the murdered souls continuing to live within her(since when?), she'd just live and let live? Fairs made far too big of a deal about it for it to be dropped quietly. But we'll see. If there is anything resembling a rematch, I'll eat my words. 

NOTES

*So what happened to the missing Federation team on Saurian Minor? Did Cally murder them?

*There should've been a better transition between Cally's inner thoughts and her dialogue with Travis. I kept confusing the two and was wondering why Travis doesn't react to her freaking out next to him.

*What was the deal with Cally offering to help Travis steal the ship from Blake? Just a ruse to get him to talk? Seems a bit elaborate. But then she did bury them both in rubble for that very purpose, so... shrug.

*What did Blake think Cally was doing this whole time? She claims to have not told him, but Vila later mentions her breakdown. So she told Vila of all people? That seems wrong.

*It's never explained how a convenient Federation ship happened to be there at the end to save Travis's neck, but I guess we have to assume that Servalan's keeping an eye on him.

*Scetona gloats over Cally's inability to read her mind, even though that's not an ability the Aurons have. Aurons only read other Aurons.

*I like how Cally's immunity to the Federation's biological warfare is retconned to her killing a woman for her HAZMAT suit. It's a good touch.

INFORMATION!

*Flashbacks depict Cally's trip from Auron to Saurian Major, and the events leading up to her appearance there in Time Squad. 

*Cadet Travis took a trip to the edge of Federation space in suspended animation(retroactively making Diamond Death a bit more canon). 

*Cally comments that the Auron race(still referred to as "Aurons" like in Series C, not the Auronar) have changed, unlike the 'true' Aurons such as Gustav Nyrron. 

*Scetona claims to have stolen the 'Klorensis Bite' from the Federation weapons facility on Dulcimer IV, which the crew later visit in Solitary. 

*Cally once had a high rank in Auron society(possibly involved with the cloning project like Zelda?). She also claims that Auron judgment is given by humiliating and forcing the murderer to admit his crimes.

*Travis lies that he only pursues the Liberator and not Blake specifically, because he was ordered to take the ship. He gave a similar lie to excuse Blake's continued survival in Project Avalon. A few moments later, Travis admits to wanting the Liberator for himself, foreshadowing his actions in Hostage. 

BEST QUOTE

Nothing memorable, really. Cally's maniacal speechifying at the end("The fire will cleanse my soul and condemn yours, it is good!") is great, but I wouldn't quote it. 

CONCLUSION

"I will know when Travis is dead." swears the woman, who will have no reaction to his death a year later. Sums it all up really.