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Plot points are linear links that make up the chain of traditional Aristotelian 3-act dramatic structure. This classic structure worked well in Hollywood for almost a century now. Although young movie makers are forcing the limits of this structure, plot points still rule the day as the “tent poles” that hold up of the circus of our dreams. Here are the plot points of Separate Lies (2005), as I see them.

Separate Lies (2005)

Starring: Tom Wilkinson (James Manning), Emily Watson (Anne Manning), Rupert Everett (William Bule)
Directed by: Julian Fellowes
Writers: Nigel Balchin (novel), Julian Fellowes (screenplay)

PROTAGONIST JAMES’S DILEMMA: James, a demanding solicitor general, loves his wife who is openly having sex with another man.

PROTAGONIST’S DESIRE: To be happy with his wife Emily.

HIS CHIEF OBSTACLE: His wife Emily sleeps with the undemanding and much younger artistocratic neighbor Bill Bule.

ESTABLISHING SHOT: An idyllic picture-perfect English village in the country with cottage houses, pretty gardens, and great weather.

INCITING INCIDENT: A bicyclist is hit by an SUV and the car just speeds away.

PLOT POINT 1: Emily confesses to James that, yes, just like James has suspected, the car that killed their maid Maggie’s bicycling husband belonged to Bule but… not only she was driving Bule’s car that day but also she is going to bed with Bill Bule.

MID POINT EVENT: Emily and Bill get James agree to lie to the police inspector in order to provide an alibi for Bill, thus making James an accessory to crime.

PLOT POINT 2: The murder is covered up thanks to Maggie’s sympathy for Emily and hatred of Bill.

3rd ACT RESOLUTION: Bill, who turns out to be cancer, dies at a young age. After Bill’s funeral, James and Emily get on with their lives.

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Nominated for 30 Emmys, including seven for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series, Star Trek: Voyager continues the rich tradition of the original 1960s Star Trek franchise. Created by former L.A. police officer Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek TV series morphed into a franchise famous for the unprecedented fanatical devotion of its fan base. Lasting only three seasons during its original network run, Star Trek struck gold with its syndicated reruns, launching a number of motion pictures featuring the original cast as well as novels, comic books, collectibles, and reams of Star Trek-related memorabilia. The third spin-off from the original Star Trek series, Star Trek: Voyager premiered in January 1995 to modest critical acclaim, but experienced great success with television viewers, slowly increasing its ratings as the series progressed. Following on the heels of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), the series precedes Star Trek: Enterprise (2001) while boasting an all-star cast that includes veteran actress Kate Mulgrew (whose past TV appearances include such shows as Dallas, Cheers, and Murphy Brown). Yet instead of pursuing the classic Star Trek mission to “boldly go where no one has gone before,” Star Trek: Voyager is more about going where the crew has been before…

Star Trek: Voyager follows the exploits of the crew aboard the starship USS Voyager. As the series begins, the Voyager is on a Federation mission to capture a rogue ship of Maquis rebels (a race first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). While in pursuit of the Maquis, the Voyager enters a system known as the badlands, and both ships are instantaneously transported to the Delta Quadrant over seventy-thousand light years away on the outskirts of the galaxy. Soon, both the Maquis and the crew of Voyager learn they were brought to Delta Quadrant by the Caretaker, a mysterious force overseeing the safety of the Ocampan race who live in the shadow on an impending threat from the vicious Kazon. When the Kazon destroy the Maquis ship, the Voyager crew merges with the Maquis crew to defend themselves from the Kazon. Having destroyed the device which could bring them home, the crew of the Voyager - led by Capt. Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and the crew of the Maquis ship - led by Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), must work as a united front in order to meet their mutual goal of finding a way home…

The Star Trek: Voyager (Season 7) DVD features a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere “Unimatrix Zero” in which Seven Of Nine discovers a place known as Unimatrix Zero, where Borg drones become individuals for a short period during their regeneration. However, once the regeneration process is complete, the drones forget all memory of the event. Capt. Janeway views this revelation as an opportunity to attack the Borg, and the Voyager must execute the plan perfectly if it is to succeed… Other notable episodes from Season 7 include “Nightingale” in which Harry Kim, Seven Of Nine, and Neelix stumble across a war between two alien nations while scavenging for dilithium, and “Friendship One” in which, having established regular contact with Alpha Quadrant, the Voyager receives orders from Starfleet to hunt down the lost 21st Century Earth probe, Friendship One…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek: Voyager (Season 7) DVD:

Episode 147 (Unimatrix Zero: Part 2) Air Date: 10-04-2000
Episode 148 (Imperfection) Air Date: 10-11-2000
Episode 149 (Drive) Air Date: 10-18-2000
Episode 150 (Repression) Air Date: 10-25-2000
Episode 151 (Critical Care) Air Date: 11-01-2000
Episode 152 (Inside Man) Air Date: 11-08-2000
Episode 153 (Body and Soul) Air Date: 11-15-2000
Episode 154 (Nightingale) Air Date: 11-22-2000
Episode 155 (Flesh and Blood: Part 1) Air Date: 11-29-2000
Episode 156 (Flesh and Blood: Part 2) Air Date: 11-29-2000
Episode 157 (Shattered) Air Date: 01-17-2001
Episode 158 (Lineage) Air Date: 01-24-2001
Episode 159 (Repentance) Air Date: 01-31-2001
Episode 160 (Prophecy) Air Date: 02-07-2001
Episode 161 (The Void) Air Date: 02-14-2001
Episode 162 (Workforce: Part 1) Air Date: 02-21-2001
Episode 163 (Workforce: Part 2) Air Date: 02-28-2001
Episode 164 (Human Error) Air Date: 03-07-2001
Episode 165 (Q2) Air Date: 04-11-2001
Episode 166 (Author, Author) Air Date: 04-18-2001
Episode 167 (Friendship One) Air Date: 04-25-2001
Episode 168 (Natural Law) Air Date: 05-02-2001
Episode 169 (Homestead) Air Date: 05-09-2001
Episode 170 (Renaissance Man) Air Date: 05-16-2001
Episode 171 (Endgame: Part 1) Air Date: 05-23-2001
Episode 172 (Endgame: Part 2) Air Date: 05-23-2001

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Star Trek: Voyager (Season 7) DVD.

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