Cat mopes around the ship, upset about the loss of her invisible friend. Davenport, who ordinarily expresses scorn whenever Cat even mentions Suzee, is now concerned about Cat's mental state. Cat is suddenly unable to answer even relatively simple academic questions. Cat says that Suzee was the real engineering genius; Cat thinks she's nothing without Suzee.

Cat, in a desperate attempt to prove her worth, begins tinkering with the engines... and unintentionally puts the ship into a sort of time warp. Although she manages to normalize time within the ship relatively quickly, the ship is out of sync with the rest of the universe, causing the ship to overheat. Meanwhile, the thrusters are off-line and the ship is on a collision course with the comet.

Cat manages to figure out how to get the power they need the thrusters online again without Suzee's help, but the engines are cold and won't start. Suzee reappears in time to suggest that Rosie channel the heat she has sucked in into the engines, and this is enough to start the engines and get them away before the comet hits them. But the comet is destroyed.

Cat and Suzee are friends again... and promptly start arguing again!

Ongoing Story and Character Developments

• Suzee is an arrogant know-it-all
• Catalina and Suzee fight a lot, but they're still good friends.
• Radu is so sturdy that he can stand steady when the entire ship is rocking.

Memorable Lines

Goddard: Do you know what that means?
Radu: No, but if you hum a few bars, I can screw it in a light bulb.

Goddard: One more time, Mr. Bova. I assume you are capable of controlling your aim?
Bova: Let's find out together.

Goddard: Command Post, not compost. Space hates smart alecks.

Goddard: Thelma, can you give me a hand?
(Thelma removes her hand and tosses it to him).

Goddard: Thelma! The engines!
Thelma (who is leaning against the control console): I'm on them!

Thelma: Would anyone like a beverage? With lots of ice?
Cat: (referring to the ship's situation): I don't understand!
Thelma: Ah, well, when water freezes....

Davenport: We're going to fry. We're going to fry!
Bova: No we won't.
Davenport: We won't?
Bova: No. The comet will probably smash us to bits first.

Radu: There's meteors in the way!
Goddard: Try to miss the big ones!

Glitches

• It's a small one, so you'll need to watch closely. In the opening sequence, Cat tells Suzee to "leave me alone!". In the scene where Thelma says "What did she say?", watch Thelma's eyes very carefully. Just before the camera switches from her back to Cat, Thelma looks at the camera! [Robert Rhodes - 8/28/97]

Trivia, Inside Jokes and References

• The episode title is a reference to the Madonna/Rosanna Arquette movie, Desperately Seeking Susan.
• This was the first episode filmed. Some clear signs that this is the first episode:
• Radu's not wearing the gloves yet (you get a clear view of his hands in the engine room sequence in the teaser) [see picture at right]
• Radu's coloring is very pale
• Rosie is wearing her helmet (a heat regulator - Rosie needed it for a while, to help her retain heat that was released through the top of her head - she ditched it later when she learned how to better regulate her heat).

Unanswered Questions

1. How do the kids know how this alien ship works when even the Commander isn't sure?

NotePAD
(Notes from co-creator Peter A. David)

• None available at this time.

Episode Details provided by Tracey Rich.
This page was last updated on August 28, 1997.