The Well of Forever

General Information

Episode Number: 103
Written By: Fiona Avery
Directed By: Janet Greek

Starring:
Gary Cole as Captain Mathew Gideon
Daniel Dae Kim as Lieutenant John Matheson
Carrie Dobro as Dureena Nafeel 
Peter Woodward as Galen
David Allen Brooks  as  Maximilian Eilerson 
Marjean Holden as Dr Sarah Chambers (not seen in this episode)
Tracy Scoggins as Captain Elizabeth Lochley (not seen in this episode)

Guest Starring:
Michael Beck as Mr. Jones

Also Starring:
David A. Saunders as Navigation
Joe Wandell as Communications Officer

Plot

Summary: Galen convinces Gideon to search for a location in hyperspace known as the Well of Forever, a place reputed to be of great power and from which no one has returned. After several days search Gideon calls off the expedition only to discover Galen's ship now controls the Excaliber. Meanwhile, Lt. Matheson has to deal with an investigation by Mr. Jones, a monitor Beureau of Telepath Integration for the Senate Committe for Metasensory Abilities.

Detailed Summary: Coming soon.

Observations

Facts

• The Psi Corps was abolished by the Senate and replaced by the Senate Committe on Metasensory Abilities.
• All MSA Monitors from the Beureau of Telepath Integration use the name of Mr Jones.
• Telepath monitoring appears to be required every six months.
• The Fenn are a species that live in hyperspace that re vaguely remiscent of jellyfish in appearance.
• The Technomages have superior sensors allowing them to go father out from the hyperspace beacon, which is part of the reason they are never seen in hyperspace.
• The longer a telepath is exposed to hyperspace the greater increase in their abilities. This a major reason why telepaths are forbidden from taking pat in EVAs, since they could not help but scan those around them.
• The Well of Forever is a memorial marker created by an ancient alien race (presumbly one of the First Ones) that has been added on to over the centuries by those leaving their own remembrances. The core of the Well is made of pure Quantium-40, the material required to make jumpgates. It also contains a self contained atmosphere.
• Telepaths in Earth Force wear the Psi Corps patch on the right sleeve of their uniform. (Reveiwer note: This patch may have been there in the first two episodes but it was only in this one that I noticed it's presence.)

Effects
   The overall effects for the show were good, but the Well of Forever was by far the best part of the visual effects of the show.

Characters
Captain Matthew Gideon

• Made a promise to honor the memory for 300 hundred others
• Willing to resort to blackmail to help a friend who has wrongly accused.

Lt. John Matheson

• One of the first telepaths to openly serve in Earth Force.
• Experiences a Hyperspace  EVA for the first time.

Galen

• Came to the Well to spread the ashes of his dead love, Isabel, who had searched for the place her entire life.

Quotables

• "My people are taught to avoid crossroads. Also beaches, pits, caverns, and wells."--Dureena
• "Where do you go on vacation? Another part of the room?"--Max Eilerson
• "So you have a  magic rock that provides you with a mystical place to a metaphorical book that gives you answers to questions we haven't asked yet?"--Max Eilerson
• "Consider it an adventure."--Galen.
• "Don't go looking for trouble unless you know what you're going to get out of it."--Dureena
• "Never gamble with a thief."--Dureena

Questions

• Who were the 300 people Gideon says he made a promise to honor. What happened to them?
• Why would the Watchmen of the Senate Committee on Extrasensory Abilites be given so much authority, with promotion based upon number of violators found?
  
  Such an attitude encourages deceit given that in all likelyhood ex-Psi Cops are the new monitors and could be possibly resentful of their loss of power.
  
• Who or what are the Norseti (Forseti?) Gideon mentions (apparently the reason the Excaliber is in the area)?

Ratings

Story: 5.00
Acting: 7.00
Special F/X: 6.40

Notes: A mostly forgetable episode, the only good thing about it was revealing Galen's true purpose for going to the Well and the small expansions of the characters of Galen, Gideon and Matheson. The Fenn trying to mate with the ship would have been acceptable if not for the cheesy bits of dialog used.

Best Actor/Actress: Peter Woodward. An easy choice since much of the episode focused on him. As usual an excellent performance.