To Boldly Go Where Drakey Had Not Gone Before · 12:15am Apr 6th, 2019
So this past month I've been binging Star Trek: The Next Generation, having never had any exposure to the Trek franchise beyond the reboot film trilogy. In summary, I get why hardcore fans are apathetic to the films - TNG has been a hell of a ride and begun my transformation into a Trekkie, I loved watching this show and plan to keep going with DS9 next, working my way to other spin-offs in time.
Below, get my thoughts on the show, the characters, favorite episodes, and hated episodes.
I definitely see why this franchise has such a massive appeal. TNG has been an exploration of space, of humanity, of morality, of technology. It's been wonderous and inspiring and fun. Through the technobabble, through the heavyhanded morality, it's only rarely been unwatchable. I also find myself agreeing with general fan perception that Seasons 3-5 were its golden years. I didn't hate the other four, but they just weren't as good, especially the last two when they definitely were running out of ideas and you could tell. It also became increasingly apparent they were getting ready to launch spin-offs, with plot threads being set up and left hanging for them to explore, or characters vanishing without explanation.
But oh, as awesome as the show is, man it gets cheesy and repetitive. I often made the joke to friends that it seems the Enterprise couldn't be out for a week without tripping over some eldritchian cosmic entity that wanted to "experiment" on them or something. I guess every solar system has its own star child hanging out to greet visitors. It's also pretty convenient how the galaxy is full of "Class-M" planets with aliens that look humanoid and possess a level of technology comparable to 20th century Earth or earlier. And then of course, this:
Gerodi: Captain?
Picard: Don't tell me - you're about to run an experiment with Data.
Geordi: Yup.
Picard: Will it cause holodeck or transporter malfunctions?
Geordi: Most likely.
Picard: ...Bring it on.
Best character - Riker. Bold, confident, badass, a type of arrogance that comes from surety of how awesome you are and you know you aren't wrong. Worf and Data are also cool, of course. Crusher was okay, I appreciate they grew her out of just being a love interest for Picard but she didn't seem to have much direction otherwise. Once Troi stopped being Captain Obvious with her telepathy, I liked she got to grow into a proper officer. Though I do feel sorry for the girl, being a telepath meant she too often was the designated Mind Rape victim when dealing with psychic stuff. Geordi was cool too.
Wesley... was fine once they chilled out on him. It's sad because there was genuine potential for a good character here, but the early episodes pushed him too hard as a kid genius who could outthink the entire crew on any given station, and then later seasons backed off of him and gave him little to do, presumably out of fear. His finale episode sucked in every way, but especially in how he was given a send-off, in a manner that didn't fit his character growth and made Wesley into an entitled jackass, when even at his most insufferable moments he wasn't arrogant or smug in his abilities.
And of course, Jean-Luc Picard: the most English Frenchman in the galaxy. The Picard is glorious, The Picard is wise, badass, cultured, and magnificent, but also flawed and tragic in his ways. All glory to The Picard, long may his spin-off reign.
I want to end this episode on good vibes, so what episodes did I hate? I'm not gonna list Code of Honor, Angel One, Sub Rosa, or Journey's End. For those of you not into Trek, lemme sum up those episodes:
- Code of Honor: "planet of tribal black people where one of their leaders kidnaps an Enterprise officer to make her his bride"
- Angel One: "planet ruled by a matriarchy who sneer down at men and need to see the benefits of men being dominant so they can learn the error of their ways"
- Sub Rosa: "Dr. Crusher is seduced by a space ghost in a candle who has been preying on the women of her family for centuries"
- Journey's End "planet of Indians (directly referred to using that word throughout the episode) refuse to leave the planet they've lived on for only 20 years and guilt Picard into helping them because his ancestor in the 1600s participated in a genocide of their ancestors."
I'm sure you can understand why it goes without saying those episodes all suck. But I will say I find Journey's End the worst of the four. Code of Honor and Angel One were just embarassing in how racist and sexist they are, and Sub Rosa is plain hilarious in how stupid it is. But Journey's End was outright infuriating with the manipulative tactics of the Indians to get Picard to help them, its asinine attempts to tackle the issue of native peoples being forced to give up their land to the white man, and the departure of Wesley in a very untimely manner. It's an episode that think it's being smart and insightful when it's actually being stupid and ignorant.
The rest? Here's the episodes of TNG I disliked.
The Neutral Zone: The Season 1 finale felt like an afterthought with the penultimate episode resolving the season-long plot thread of corruption and conspiracy in Starfleet's leadership. The cryogenically frozen humans are a total waste of screentime. Episodes in this show with separate A and B plots tended to have at least a thematic resonance between them, even if they didn't directly intersect, but here the human subplot has nothing to do with the main plot. Then again, the main plot doesn't have much either, it only serves to give the Romulans an on-screen appearance in which they basically just say "sup bitches, we're back!" The plot concerns the Enterprise investigating the mysterious destruction of outposts, but we never get answers to what destroyed them - the plan was for them to be the Borg, but I reject that explanation for not geling with what Season 2 showed of the Borg. Overall just a very dull episode with nothing happening.
The Child: Season 2 didn't get us off to a great start either. Short and sweet, this explanation is - Troi is subject to the "mystical pregnancy" trope where an alien impregnates her with itself, she gives birth to it within two days, the kid grows to a child within hours and is extremely weird and creepy, and no one thinks to lock this kid up because something is definitely wrong. What a stinker.
The Ensigns of Command: This is a trial run for Journey's End that is only slightly less annoying, but still pretty awful. Here, let me summarize this episode:
Asshole Alien: Remove your citizens from our planet within three days or we kill them all.
Picard: We don't have time to get them off the planet within three days!
Asshole Alien: Deal with it.Data: The Asshole Aliens are going to kill you all unless you leave.
Dumb Alien: We don't wanna leave, let them kill us!
Data: Letting them kill you is a bad idea.
Dumb Alien: That is a bad idea, let's go!
Suddenly Human: This one will take some explaining. The Enterprise goes to rescue an alien vessel that put out a distress call and find a human among them, who had been taken in by the aliens and raised as one of them when they razed his colony during a time of war. The boy, Jono, was raised in a strictly war-like society, only bonding with Picard as an authority figure to take orders from, so Picard not only has to try and get the boy to reconnect with his lost human identity, but show him how to be a human. But then Jono attacks Picard with the expectation they will execute him for his crime, which is what he wants, he feels that reconnecting with his human heritage has been a betrayal of his people and he deserves to die.
This episode is on the list because it is just uncomfortable how it ends. The decision they make? Send him back to the aliens. This kid has regained his lost memories, tasted freedom and happiness, found out he has a grandmother who is alive and seen a video of her, and then they send him home, resolving none of the psychological issues he is suffering from and will develop now. I honestly cannot shake the idea that Jono will end up killing himself or someone else in the near future, he already demonstrated a willingness to resort to violence as a "solution" to his problems, after all. He needs a therapist badly and he is not going to get one, and Enterprise sending him to the aliens after doing this to him feels like they fucked this kid's head up and then shunted the responsibility of handling him off to someone else, which makes this episode leave a bad taste in my mouth.
The Game: Don't play video games, m'kay. Because video games are addictive, addictive like drugs, m'kay. And drugs are bad, you shouldn't do drugs, m'kay. Because drugs, and video games, they get you addicted, m'kay, and they take over the crew's minds and make them turn the Enterprise over to an alien race who really had no fucking hope of getting away with this. So don't play video games. M'kay?
Attached: This episode sees the Enterprise go to a planet that is petitioning the Federation for membership despite the oddity of their planet not being united under one government. Picard and Dr. Crusher are kidnapped by the minority group of the species, we'll call them Asshole Aliens #552, who accuse them of being spies. It is pathetic how the Enterprise is helpless to get Picard and Crusher back - there's no standard "transporter interference", in fact in the climax the Enterprise beams the head of the aliens onto the bridge. This episode should have been over in five minutes if Riker just did that and told the bitch "you just kidnapped our captain, which is as good as a declaration of against the Federation, so either give him back or we incinerate the lot of you from orbit." The minority leader of Asshole Aliens outright refuses to talk to the Enterprise, threatening to attack them if they attempt communications, and then it turns out the leader of the majority group of aliens is in his own way a paranoid asshole who starts being suspicious of the crew for no reason but he's a paranoid asshole. In a show full of aliens who are dicks to the crew for little reason, these ones were the most dickish for the least reason, and the Enterprise is powerless to stop them up until the last few minutes.
Half a Life: Troi's mother Lwaxana falls in love with an elderly scientist from another world who is working on a project to save his planet, and he's short on time because he's turning 60 that day, and it is a cultural tradition on his planet for the elderly to euthanize themselves on their 60th birthdays to avoid being burdens on the populace.
...sigh... okay, let us set aside the arguments over assisted suicide, dying with dignity, and euthanasia. Let us ignore them. Because while that is what this episode is about, that is not what angers me about it. What angers me is that when the scientist refuses to kill himself so he can complete his project and hopefully be with Lwaxana, the aliens attack the Enterprise to try and get him back and make him! And his family talks to him and pleads with him to come home and do the ritual, and he submits and returns home to die.
Whether you support or oppose dying with dignity, I think we can all agree that it should be the person's choice if they want to die or not, yes? If we're gonna have it legal, it will be their decision, I don't that part of the discussion is controversional, is it? No, good. This episode has a man forced to kill himself by his people and his family, who use aggressive force and emotional manipulation to strongarm him into compliance. The Bad Guys Win in this episode, and I hate them all.
Ethics: HO BOY, I saved this one for last because this one pisses me off and is my personal pick for the worst episode of TNG. And, appropriately, it's very similar to the previous episode.
Worf is injured in an accident and paralyzed. Dr. Crusher offers him a treatment that could restore 60-70% of his usage of his legs, but Worf rejects it and asks Riker to help him perform a Klingon ritual suicide, because in Klingon culture a Klingon who cannot fight should die with honor rather than live in shame. But a visiting Dr. Russell has an experimental new procedure that could fully restore Worf's movement by giving him a replacement spine, but the operation has a low chance of success and will kill him if it fails.
I actually think the assisted suicide topic is handled respectfully and well in this episode, both with Worf's desire to die and Riker's struggle with honoring his friend's wishes and not wanting to see him do this. I have no problem with those two. What angers me so much that this episode tops the worst? Doctor Beverly Crusher. Dr. Russell is presented as a mad scientist who uses untested and dangerous treatments on human subjects in the name of SCIENCE, and Crusher accuses her of taking advantage of Worf's desperation to use him as a guinea pig for her experiment. Crusher is insufferable in this episode. Nevermind how many times she's had to use experimental and dangerous treatments on the crew to save their lives, but she is a complete hypocrite. She accuses Russell of violating her physician's oath to do no harm and always act in the best interest of the patient.
Thing is, though, part of the Hypocratic Oath is that the doctor must inform the patient of all treatment options, give them knowledge of what the benefits and risks of each option are, and allow them to make the decision on their own. That is a cornerstone of medical ethics, the patient has the right to decide how they will be treated, and the doctor is expected to allow the patient to make an informed decision about their treatment. The doctor can strongly recommend for or against certain options, and refuse to go along with options they disagree with, but they don't get to make the patient's decision for them.
Crusher spits on that idea, at first refusing to tell Worf about Russell's procedure, then refusing to let the two of them do it, and also refusing to let Worf take his own life. She directly tells Picard she'd keep Worf restrained in sickbay and watched by security for the rest of his life if that's what it took to stop him from killing himself, and in the same conversation implies she would use the same methods to keep Russell from performing her experimental surgery on him. It takes a speech from Picard to talk her down, but if Crusher were as devoted to medical ethics as she thinks she is, she wouldn't need to be talked down. Worf undergoes Russell's procedure and regaining full use of his legs, but even though Russell was vindicated in her efforts to treat Worf, the episode ends with Crusher giving Russell a "the reason you suck" speech and chewing her out for her "amoral" methods.
The tl;dr of this episode - Russell is fully in the right for offering Worf an alternative to Crusher's treatment, Worf has the right to make the decision to go her idea or to end his life otherwise, and Crusher is completely in the wrong for shutting the two of them down and trying to force Worf to take her treatment. But the narrative tries to enforce the opposite view.
And now, on a much brighter note, my favorite episodes. I'll order them by season up until the reveal of my absolute favorite episode of the show. Not to be listed - "Best of Both Worlds", "Q Who", "I, Borg", "The Inner Light", and "All Good Things" - much like the above four episodes, everyone knows those episodes are amazing, no surprises there.
Encounter at Farpoint: The series premiere was the first episode of Star Trek I've ever watched, and I really enjoyed it. It has humor, mystery, wonder, and horror, it sets up the cast and the world and sets up plot threads to be hit on both fronts, and keeps you engaged wondering what's going on and what's going to happen. It is a great way to begin the series and it got me hooked, turning a lark "let's see what all the hubabaloo is about" to "okay this is a cool show and I wanna see more of this."
A Matter of Honor: I knew Riker was a badass all along, but this episode really solidified his awesomeness for me. As part of a student exchange program with the Klingon Empire, Riker is transferred to a Klingon ship to serve as their new first officer. This is our first real dive into Klingon culture with Riker as a proxy, and not only does the episode explore them well and really make them appreciate them as a race, it also puts over Riker himself as he demonstrates he can keep up with the Klingons in both muscle and wit. The climax sees Riker juggling his conflicting loyalties to his two ships and pulling off a brilliant gambit to outwit them all and get them all out alive. Truly the voice actor of Xanatos honed his Magnificent Bastard credentials long before he ever put his voice to the character.
Peak Performance: Speaking of Riker forming a reputation for being awesome, this episode sees him and part of the Enterprise's crew put in charge of the USS Hathaway to participate in war games with the Enterprise. The Hathaway is a derelict hunk of junk, but Riker and his crew use trickery and deception to give the Enterprise a few surprises in spite of their disadvantage. Then the Ferengi come onto the scene and the two ships have to deal with them as well. This is just overall a low stakes but enjoyable episode, every character gets a chance to be cool and show off what they bring to the show and the crew, and you really appreciate them as individuals and as a group when it's over.
Who Watches the Watchers: While the Prime Directive, I understand, is a contentious piece of Star Trek lore and rightfully so, this episode makes a good case for why it should exist. The crew is visiting an observation post studying some primitive humanoids when the hologram concealing their outpost is disrupted, allowing one of the aliens to see them, and when he's knocked unconscious by an explosion they take him to the ship to heal him, unaware he regained consciousness briefly and saw the ship. Returned to his people, he begins preaching that their old religious beliefs are true, that he saw the afterlife where a god called "The Picard" restored his life. This is a cool episode for exploring how the Enterprise tries to minimize the damage they've done to this race's cultural evolution and examining the different ways they try, and you legit aren't sure how they're gonna solve this.
And, as you may have picked up in the early parts of the blog, I heartilly embrace the idea of "The Picard" as a deity. Hey, he's cultured, eloquent, wise, caring, and bold - if there is a creator deity, wouldn't we want it to be someone like Patrick Stewart? All glory to The Picard!
The Enemy: aka "Geordi's Finest Hour". Geordi is stranded on a planet where, as tends to happen at least every other episode, the transporter can't lock onto his signal. Geordi is "captured" by a Romulan also stranded on the planet, and the two reluctantly begin to work together to escape to their ships in orbit, who are growing more tense about each other by the minute. This episode really is Geordi's shining moment, showing him being calm and cool under pressure, and them him reasoning with the Romulan to convince him to trust him and work with him to escape. One of the most subtle moments of badass in the series is when, trapped in a pit, he uses mud to make a mold and uses his phaser on low power to melt some metal ore into the mold, making himself a set of climbing spikes to get out of the pit. Just a cool moment that shows how clever the character is.
Remember Me: aka "Beverly's Finest Hour". While going about her normal duties and seeing to a visiting friend, Dr. Crusher begins to notice the Enterprise crew is vanishing, and the rest of the crew has no knowledge of what she's talking about, with even the computer listing the crew compliment as lower than it should be. This episode shows Beverly in the driver's seat as she tries to figure out what's happening to her while dealing with it, and is just really cool. It also has some of my favorite jokes in the series as Beverly banters with the computer.
Crusher: Computer, read the entire crew roster for the Enterprise.
Computer: Doctor Beverly Crusher.
Crusher: Have I always been the only member of the crew of the Starship Enterprise?
Computer: Affirmative.
Crusher: If this was a bad dream, would you tell me?
Computer: That is not a valid question.
Crusher: Like hell it's not.Crusher: What is the primary mission of the Starship Enterprise?
Computer: To explore the galaxy.
Crusher: Do I have the necessary skills to complete that mission alone?
Computer: Negative.
Crusher: Then why am I the only crew member? Computer takes several seconds to respond; Crusher smirks Aha, got you there.
Computer: That information is not available. Crusher walks away and gives a flippant wave of her hand
First Contact: This episode focuses on an alien race that is about to experiment with their first warp drive engine, so as per Federation standard policy, the Enterprise pays a visit to extend a hand of friendship to their leader and welcome them to the cosmos. But, while the planet's technological advancement is great, their sociological advancement is not, and an undercover Riker (surgically enhanced to give the superficial appearance of one of them) is suspected of being an alien, sparking paranoia and fear among the races. This episode shows the idea of first contact from the aliens' perspective with humanity being the advanced race, but is also a great mirror into how, let's be honest, we humans would probably react if we learned aliens really existed and were coming to meet us. In that this episode has aged very well (unfortunately), and its lessons and ideas ring very true throughout the series and real life. I'm very sad the nice scientist lady who decided to stay on the Enterprise never reappeared, I liked her.
Disaster: A (in)conveninent power outtage leaves the main cast trapped across various sections of the Enterprise and they have to work to be safe and get the ship back online. This episode is another one that is great for showcasing the individual strengths of each character, as Troi has to take command of the bridge and give orders to crewmates who doubt her capabilities, Picard has to manage a trio of children by casting them as his "crew", Crusher and Geordi have to improvise a way out of a dangerous situation, and so forth. The power outtage is really just a simple and effective plot device to isolate each cast member in an unfamiliar situation and environment on the ship, forcing them to rise to the challenge, and they all succeed, great stuff.
Face of the Enemy: aka "Troi's Finest Hour". Deanna awakens aboard a Romulan ship to find herself surgically altered to look like a Romulan, with no idea of how she got there. A member of the crew reveals he's part of a resistance movement and the ship is secretly transporting Vulcan delegates home, but the crew at large including the Captain have no idea; Troi has been captured to help them, presented to the crew as member of the Romulan secret police, because her empathic abilities will be helpful in navigating this mission safely. HAH, "safely" is a relative term, Troi spends the entire episode dancing out of suspicion as she thinks on her feet, takes charge of the situation, and adapts to her unfamiliar and unfriendly circumstances. The mission doesn't go as planned, but Troi's quick-thinking and knowledge of her own captain's methods allows her to improvise a way to get both the delegates and herself onto the Enterprise. Way to go, Councillor.
Frame of Mind: This was Inception before Inception. While rehearsing for a play called "Frame of Mind" where he plays the innmate at an insane asylum, Riker suddenly starts to hallucinate actually being in an asylum, where the doctors tell him he's been locked up there for years as a delusional who has just been making up the "Enterprise" stuff in his mind. As Riker continues to shift back and forth between realities, he begins to lose track of what's real and what's a delusion, his mind cracking around him. This plot is nothing new (I immediately pegged it as having also been done on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I'm certain it predates both shows anyway), but it's done very well and very suspenseful and tense.
Gambit: This two-parter opens with the crew investigating the "death" of Picard, who has gone missing while undercover. Riker finds him working under an alias for a mercenary, trying to figure out what the mercenary is up to as he visits ancient Vulcan/Romulan holy sites. The two scheme how to derail his plans, whatever they are, and take command of his ship without blowing their cover, while also dealing with the mercenary's right-hand woman who is also up to her own scheme. There's betrayals, fake-out betrayals, double identities, sneaky planning, all that good stuff. This is just a fun two-parter for spotlighting the teamwork of Picard and Riker and how well they work together.
And, saved for last, my personal favorite episode of Star Trek The Next Generation...
Darmok
Is this the best episode of TNG? No. But it is probably the episode that made me think the most. Days after viewing it I found myself fondly reflecting on "Darmok" and continue to ponder it now, and it's definitely one of the Trek episodes I'll remember with clarity years from now.
The premise of the episode is that the Enterprise is sent to make contact with an alien race, the Tamarians. The Federation has met them in the past, but all attempts to communicate failed. Why? Here is the Tamarian captain's greeting to the Enterprise.
Rai and Jiri at Lungha. Rai of Lowani. Lowani under two moons. Jiri of Ubaya. Ubaya of crossed roads at Lungha. Lungha, her sky grey. Rai and Jiri at Lungha.
...yeah. The Enterprise crew recognizes the words and that the guy is identifying locations and people, but they have no clue what he's saying. As the crews continue to try to communicate, the Tamarian captain, Dathon, begins to argue with his first officer, saying "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra". Suddenly both Picard and Dathon are beamed to the surface of the nearby planet, and the Tamarians throw up a sensor field that prevents the Enterprise from transporting Picard out - they can still see that he's alive, but cannot talk to him or bring him back. On the surface, Dathon offers Picard a knife; Picard presumes he wants a fight and refuses the weapon, but Dathon doesn't attack, and that night he gives Picard a branch from his fire when Picard can't start his own. Throughout this, the two try to communicate but cannot.
The next day, a monster attacks the two, and Dathon gives Picard a knife, speaking again. But this time, Picard begins to get a grasp on what he's saying.
Dathon: Uzani, his army at Lashmir.
Picard: At Lashmir? Was it like this at Lashmir? A similar situation to the one we're facing here?
Dathon: Uzani. His army with fist open.
Picard: A strategy, with fist open. With fist open.
Dathon: His army, with fist closed.
Picard: With fist closed. An army with fist open to lure the enemy. With fist closed to attack? That's how you communicate, isn't it? By citing example. By metaphor. Uzani's army with fist open.
With this revelation, Picard comes to understand the Tamarian language - it's based on anecdotal metaphors derived from their cultural history and mythology. On the Enterprise, researching the Tamarians, the crew finds stories of a quasi-mythical hunter named Darmok, who is reputed to have gone to the island of Tanagra where he hunted a beast with another hunter named Jalad, and they departed the island together. Dathon, in his effort to communicate with Picard, is re-enacting the story of Darmok and Jalad, isolating the two of them on the planet with a dangerous beast for them to fight together.
Dathon is injured fighting the monster, and as Picard tends to his wounds Dathon relates the story of Darmok, Jalad, and the Beast at Tanagra; in return, Picard tells the story of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, and their battle with the Bull of Heaven, but Enkidu perishes as a result of their victory. Picard sadly realizes their situation is more like Gilgamesh and Enkidu than Darmok and Jalad, and Dathon doesn't live to see the morning. The Enterprise crew gets Picard to safety and he uses his new understanding of the Tamarian language to tell them of Dathon's death; the Tamarians grieve for their fallen commander and take back his journal that Picard has, but refuse the knife Dathon gave him; Picard keeps the knife in memory of his fallen friend, and in his quarters performs the same ceremonial motions with it the Tamarian crew did when they learned of Dathon's death.
This is just a brilliant concept, so unique and creative. Sure, the Tamarians speak English, but the structure of their language is so entirely different that it might as well be gibberish to the Enterprise crew. Troi compares it to saying "Juliet, on her balcony" to convey the imagery and ideas of that scene, but if you're saying it to someone who has never heard of Romeo and Juliet, they won't have a clue what you're talking about. Watching this episode, trying like the crew to figure out how the Tamarians talk, and then finally realizing how their language works, is a true epiphany moment that made me smile, everything coming into clarity.
This episode is tragic but also inspiring, showing the difficulties in establishing contact with an alien race and how they can be overcome. Dathon gave his life to pave the way for Federation-Tamarian communication, and it was a sacrifice not made in vain. Picard says at the end of the episode he can't say if they're friends, but they aren't enemies - no way, Picard, you two became friends on that planet, shortlived though it might have been. The scene of Picard and Dathon trading stories by the fire, and Picard mourning Dathon using the Tamarian ritual with his knife, stay with you, as do the individual lines. I hear every Trekkie recognizes the "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" line, as well they should because this is a fantastic episode that should be remembered by all who view it.
There's new aliens, there's a dangerous monster to fight, there's a mystery to figure out, there's discovery, there's enlightenment, there's tension and fear and drama and emotion. What more could I ask for from not merely an episode of Star Trek, but from any episode of anything?
Well, thanks for reading all the way through that wall of text. I'll see you over on Deep Space 9 for more adventures trekking through the stars.
Good times, right? We'll get ready for DS9 where you see what it's like being outside of the Federation Utopia.
The first couple seasons tend to be slow, rather than outright bad, but they do a lot of thinking that's still relevant as hell today.
Have fun!
"Remember Me" was indeed great. Got to love the computer describing the ship being larger than the universe as a design flaw. And "Darmok" is a classic for a reason. Wonderful to see you get into something that's been a part of my life for pretty much all of it. Indeed...
Twilight and Rainbow Dash in the hospital. Rainbow, the book in her hooves. Twilight, confident.
I had grown accustomed to the Star Trek series as being a spectrum, from really astonishing episodes to "Was there a flu season going on this shooting week?" I have to compare them to Babylon 5, which almost without exception was good episode after good episode for one long five-year arc and bang done. JMS is godlike, if only for that. The percentage of 'hits' on DS9 are higher than most of the Star Trek series, mostly because as a guy I respond better to episodes that require senseless violence to solve, but there are some DS9 episodes that just glow. Sisco was played amazingly good, I would say Avery Brook's crowning achievment, and Rene Auberjonois too.
Armin Shimerman and Andrew Robinson too made a wonderful pairing (without IMDB I would be lost for spelling)
5038897
Rainbow, horrified in the bed. Twilight, showing her her collection of Daring Do.
What did you think of John DeLancie's performance as Q? His performance in TNG as Q helped him with how to perform as Discord (as Lauren Faust wanted DeLancie as Discord and was hoping to get an actor that sounded like DeLancie, only to find John DeLancie was available to stop by DHX Studios and record his lines for Discord for season 2 premiere and the other episodes featuring the Dracon Equus.
THAT part isn't an accident; a progenitor race seeded the DNA of thousands of worlds across the galaxy with their genetic data to ensure that something of themselves would carry on long after their race died out. (TNG: "The Chase")
THAT is a contrived convenience, and one which carries over from TOS, which had a LOT of episodes like that so Paramount could save money re-using sets.
Picard and Data are my favorite characters. Picard is the total package: wise, charismatic, stern, poetic, bold, strong, and indomitable. Even the Borg couldn't break him, though they certainly left him badly damaged. And Data is...well...complicated. I love watching his character evolve.
Study in how NOT to handle a character if ever there was one, though at least in seasons 3-4 he was tolerable.
Yeah, this was...weak as a season finale, though season two actually managed to hold its beer on that front. The thing you have to understand is that right as season one was ending, a major writer's strike was beginning, and said strike is why season two of TNG is so incredibly bad. THBS, I've always felt like the episode that resolved the neck lobster conspiracy was SUPPOSED to be the season finale but they had a production delay with The Neutral Zone.
I love this episode because it shows Data taking charge of a situation and learning how to resolve a conflict with outside-the-box thinking.
OH DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN I HATE THAT EPISODE.
I really want to like that episode, but it makes itself so hard to like that I end up feeling meh about it.
That episode is just awkward. Painfully so.
I love that episode, even though it's painful to watch.
I have to disagree, this is one I really like, though every time I watch it I want to SLAP that arrogant bitch doctor for her cavalier sociopathy.
I agree with a lot of your favorite episodes list. I'll list the ones on your list I don't agree with, then add some of mine that aren't on yours. (Note: I'm not saying I dislike these episodes, just that they're average to fair episodes for me.)
Encounter at Farpoint(It does not age well)A Matter of Honor(Ages better but just not a personal favorite)Remember Me(Pretty average ep IMHO)Frame of Mind(This one is pretty meh)Gambit(It's an OK two-parter but not great)Now, my additions to the list:
Like you said, those are universally acclaimed, no need to explain
The Measure of a Man: One of the few good season 2 episodes, and it makes you think about rights, humanity, dignity, and what the future holds as technology and humanity become more interchangeable.
Up the Long Ladder: I love this one because it's so over-the-top ridiculous for the corny Irish colony, and then sudden whiplash creepfest when they meet the cloners. But mostly, because of one specific moment in this episode that I tend to use as a reply macro:
Also, the crazy visual of a transporter room door opening and a frickin' chicken fluttering out into the corridor. It's a total WTF.
The Ensigns of Command: See above.
The Hunted: I love this episode because it's basically 50 minutes of the best crew in Starfleet getting owned by Solid Snake and that amuses me.
The Offspring: Another excellent Data episode, if incredibly painful to watch.
Sins of the Father: And basically every episode after it that continues the Duras arc, which is my favorite Worf story arc.
Hollow Pursuits: Who doesn't have a soft spot for Mr. Broccoli? ...Barclay.
The Most Toys: I would have hated this episode if not for the chilling ending, which provides further evidence to the "Data always had emotions, he just didn't know he had them" theory. You don't decide to commit cold-blooded murder if you're not filled with absolute loathing for the man you're about to kill.
Brothers: For similar reasons to the above. Every episode that deals with Data's fucked-up family drama intrigues me (I don't count Nemesis.)
Devil's Due: This episode is just straight up fun.
Time's Arrow: Probably my favorite season finale/season premiere pair that isn't BoBW.
Rascals: "NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW NOW!"
A Fistful of Datas: It's a nice silly episode and even the danger of the episode is silly, this is basically TNG's Tribbles.
Starship Mine: Patrick Stewart taking a turn at Bruce Willis' schick? Yes please!
Homeward: I like this episode for reasons I can't really put into words.
Thine Own Self: One of the few random season 7 episodes that don't suck.
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Devil's Due, Fistful of Datas, Time's Arrow, and Thine Own Self almost made the list, but my "favorites" list was getting a bit long. I did enjoy all of them though - awesome to see Picard channel his inner Q and outsmart the devil lady, I loved seeing Worf and Alexander bond, Time's Arrow was just really cool, and Thine Own Self was also cool.
Starship Mine was fun but strange in hindsight with how obviously it is ripping off Die Hard and casting Picard as Bruce Willis. It just strikes me as not fitting for Picard, who prefers diplomacy to violence, though under the circumstances that's not gonna happen. I could see Riker doing it, though. I liked Rascals more than I thought I would, though the Picard kid had too thick an accent and not the right one, which is a shame because he did a great job copying Patrick Stewart's physicality and speech patterns.
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Who the hell is Q?
This post makes me very happy. :D I grew up watching TNG, and whenever I hear "Star Trek", that's the series I always think of.
Disaster might be my favorite episode. <.< It's certainly been a long time since I watched any of it, though. I've always had an idea for a ponyfic that rips off Remember Me, too.
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Q is a fictional character as well as the name of a race in Star Trek appearing in the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager series, as well as in related media. The most familiar Q is portrayed by John de Lancie. He is an extra-dimensional being of unknown origin who possesses immeasurable power over normal human notions of time, space, the laws of physics, and reality itself, being capable of violating or altering them in unpredictable ways with a hand gesture cue. Despite his vast knowledge and experience spanning untold eons (and much to the exasperation of the object(s) of his obsession), he is not above practical jokes for his own personal amusement, for a Machiavellian and manipulative purpose, or to prove a point. He is said to be nigh-omnipotent, and he is continually evasive regarding his true motivations.
The name "Q" applies to the names of the individuals portrayed (all "male" and "female" characters refer to each other as "Q"), it also applies to the name of their race and to the Q Continuum itself – an alternate dimension accessible to only the Q and their "invited" guests. The true nature of the realm is said to be beyond the comprehension of "lesser beings" such as humans, therefore it is shown to humans only in ways they can understand.
Beginning with the pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint" of The Next Generation, Q became a recurring character, with pronounced comedic and dramatic chemistry with Jean-Luc Picard. He serves as a major antagonist throughout The Next Generation, playing a pivotal role in both the first and final episodes. Q is initially presented as a cosmic force judging humanity to see if it is becoming a threat to the universe, but as the series progresses, his role morphs more into one of a teacher to Picard and the human race generally – albeit often in seemingly destructive or disruptive ways, subject to his own amusement.
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Not ringing a bell, sorry.
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Encounter at Farpoint is John DeLancie's first appearance as Q. He essentially puts Picard and Riker on trial (as well as the Enterprise) for judging humanity to see if it is becoming a threat to the universe, but as the series progresses, his role morphs more into one of a teacher to Picard and the human race generally – albeit often in seemingly destructive or disruptive ways, subject to his own amusement. Kinda like how Discord in MLP helps Twilight and her friends like in the season 4 finale with the Friendship Journal.
You're definitely in for a treat once you start DS9, but for God's sake and all that's holy avoid Move Along Home.
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psssst he's trolling you....
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Oh come on, that episode is FUN! STUPID, but fun. (Stupid butt fun?)
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It more or less became a "thing" that every post-TNG Trek had to have a Die Hard ripoff episode. DS9 had at least two though blow me if I can remember them off the top of my head, Voyager had the one with the "macroviruses" which was basically Janeway in a tank top versus giant CGI mosquitos, and Enterprise...probably had one too and I'm sure it involved T'Pol in something that was glued to her tits, because any time T'Pol had an action episode it involved a sweaty outfit glued to her tits.
DS9 is by far my fave trek show