I saw the thumbnail for this episode and was like, "aw shit, a kid." TNG episodes about children are usually some of the worst episodes, but this one is surprisingly good. Part of it is the role of the child actor, while central to the story, mostly involves seeing the look on his face as events unfold around him. Also I really enjoy seeing an alien presence dealt with in a way other than pure technobabble. The central focus on the captain is always a good call, but there are solid performances from Worf and even Wesley to help tie it all together.
The episode begins with an away team exploring the ruins of a dead civilization. Everything seems to be going well until Troi suddenly calls out that they are in trouble. Moments later Worf calls up from the surface, there has been an explosion and they need medical assistance. They are beamed directly to sickbay, but Lt. Aster, ships archaeologist, dies of her injuries. Troi arrives and informs the Captain that Lt. Aster has a son on board and that his father died several years earlier so he is now an orphan. Picard orders Geordi to the surface to find out what happened and heads to Asters quarters to inform her son Jeremy. He is devastated, but holds himself together. Picard manages to do a really good job despite his supposed hatred of children.
Troi tries to get Worf to talk about why he is so mad about the whole thing and he won't discuss it. However he does ask what Troi thinks of him performing a Klingon bonding ritual with Jeremy since they are both orphans. Troi tells him to be cautious, but that is is worth a try. Worf goes to Jeremy's quarters and finds him grieving. It doesn't go great, but it could have been worse and Worf leaves without incident. Suddenly Data detects an energy surge on the planet. They can't figure out what it is but suddenly Lt. Aster appears in her quarters with Jeremy and starts comforting him. He doesn't trust her at first but after feeling her warm touch he accepts her. She tells him they need to go to the planets surface to start their new life when Worf stops by to check in. He tells the captain what is going on and Picard tells him not to interfere. Picard catches up with them in the transporter room and after a confrontation the entity pretending to be Lt. Aster disappears.
Jeremy returns to his quarters but the entity is back. It changes the quarters into their old house and even makes a cat, but Troi arrives and isn't pleased. She tries to convince Jeremy this is an illusion, but it is a pretty good on and he ignores her. Geordi manages to adjust the shields to block the entity and the illusion drops, but it flies up from the planet and right through their shields and starts it right back up. Another entity starts rooting around in engineering trying to figure out how to make the transporters work. Picard arrives and has Worf bring Wesley in as well. Picard talks to the entity and it admits it is one of the creatures from the dead planet below. There were once two races, one energy and the other flesh, but the physical beings wiped themselves out in a war and the energy beings are determined to not let them cause any more suffering. Picard gives a really touching speech and Wesley arrives and talks about how mad he felt at the Captain for surviving the encounter where his own father was killed. The entity sees that they are going to support Jeremy and leaves on its own. Jeremy and Worf have a cool candle lighting ritual at the end making them Klingon brothers.
Review: This is one of the better TNG character driven episodes so far and despite the lack of action and presence of children works very well. It shows the crew working together both to keep the ship running, but also to support each other. There is a scene I left out above with Riker and Data in Ten Forward discussing how grieving works for humans that is a nice accent.
8 out of 10
Friday, July 31, 2015
Thursday, July 30, 2015
TNG: Who Watches The Watchers
Having grown up watching TNG I always thought it was kinda odd how something as critical as the prime directive got straight up ignored whenever it was an inconvenience. However having just watched TOS I can assure you that it is ignored at least as much there as in TNG. Despite abandoning their highest principles and any attempt at a B story this episode manages to be both exciting and inspiring. It is always a good episode when Picard gets to spend a good part of it convincing a primitive alien he isn't a god. Also following right on the heals of Survivors it seems like season 3 of TNG is the god's who aren't Q season.
We begin with the Enterprise on its way to resupply an anthropological research station studying a race related to the Vulcans which is beginning to transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture. However while in contact with the Enterprise there is an explosion at the station and their holographic camoflage is dropped and the team is knocked unconscious. One of them falls out the open window and down a cliff below. The Enterprise increases to maximum speed, but it is too late, a Mintakan hunter and his daughter have spotted the research station. They make there way to the cliff and while the daughter hides the father approaches. He sees the team inside beam one of the scientists to the Enterprise but when he is seen he touches a charged panel and tumbles down the cliff. Dr. Crusher beams him to sickbay but his daughter sees the whole thing.
On board the ship Picard is pissed that they violated the prime directive in such a way. Crusher promises to try to erase the mans memory, but he awakens and sees Picard in command. After treating him he is beamed back down and found by his daughter, and his memories are intact. They return to their village spreading word of the new god, Picard. Back on the ship attention turns to the lost scientist. Some sort of interference of course prevents their sensors from detecting him so Riker and Troi and altered to look like locals and beam down to look for him. They arrive in the village to discover them abuzz with news of the Picard. Troi tries to argue with them but the villagers soon return with Dr. Palmer, the lost scientist and are convinced they should save him for the Picard. See how injured he is Troi manages to lure the villagers away while Riker escapes with Palmer. The villagers blame Troi and take her captive.
On the ship Picard is faced with a dilemma, how can he prove he isn't a god without doing more damage. His somewhat questionable solution is the beam the leader of the village onto the Enterprise. At first it doesn't work but after she sees a woman die in sickbay she is convinced he can't be a god. She and Picard beam back down as the first villager beamed up is threatening to kill Troi with a bow. Picard manages to get him to shoot Picard instead and his blood shows them he is mortal. Picard gets healed and after a pep talk leaves the villagers to progress on their own.
Review: Take that prime directive! But seriously, this is a fun episode. It deals in a serious way with how primitive people would deal with learning about aliens if the aliens are in fact not hostile. It also features some solid Patrick Stewart acting which is a solid plus.
8 out of 10
We begin with the Enterprise on its way to resupply an anthropological research station studying a race related to the Vulcans which is beginning to transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture. However while in contact with the Enterprise there is an explosion at the station and their holographic camoflage is dropped and the team is knocked unconscious. One of them falls out the open window and down a cliff below. The Enterprise increases to maximum speed, but it is too late, a Mintakan hunter and his daughter have spotted the research station. They make there way to the cliff and while the daughter hides the father approaches. He sees the team inside beam one of the scientists to the Enterprise but when he is seen he touches a charged panel and tumbles down the cliff. Dr. Crusher beams him to sickbay but his daughter sees the whole thing.
On board the ship Picard is pissed that they violated the prime directive in such a way. Crusher promises to try to erase the mans memory, but he awakens and sees Picard in command. After treating him he is beamed back down and found by his daughter, and his memories are intact. They return to their village spreading word of the new god, Picard. Back on the ship attention turns to the lost scientist. Some sort of interference of course prevents their sensors from detecting him so Riker and Troi and altered to look like locals and beam down to look for him. They arrive in the village to discover them abuzz with news of the Picard. Troi tries to argue with them but the villagers soon return with Dr. Palmer, the lost scientist and are convinced they should save him for the Picard. See how injured he is Troi manages to lure the villagers away while Riker escapes with Palmer. The villagers blame Troi and take her captive.
On the ship Picard is faced with a dilemma, how can he prove he isn't a god without doing more damage. His somewhat questionable solution is the beam the leader of the village onto the Enterprise. At first it doesn't work but after she sees a woman die in sickbay she is convinced he can't be a god. She and Picard beam back down as the first villager beamed up is threatening to kill Troi with a bow. Picard manages to get him to shoot Picard instead and his blood shows them he is mortal. Picard gets healed and after a pep talk leaves the villagers to progress on their own.
Review: Take that prime directive! But seriously, this is a fun episode. It deals in a serious way with how primitive people would deal with learning about aliens if the aliens are in fact not hostile. It also features some solid Patrick Stewart acting which is a solid plus.
8 out of 10
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
TNG: Survivors
Season 3 is apparently the season I didn't watch as often as the others! I had totally forgotten that TNG had a non-Q godlike being episode, and it is at least as good as the best god episodes of TOS. Also it is fun to see TNG feature hostile aliens that aren't the Ferengi (hahaha), the Romulans or the Borg. The elements of the psychic attack on Troi are never very clearly defined and are one of the weaker parts of the episode. Also the idea that an ancient god would be entertained by reliving a past life is a bit of a stretch, but I guess he is a sentimental god.
The episode opens with the Enterprise investigating a distress call from a colony. When they arrive the find the entire surface of the planet devastated by an unknown force. Careful sensor examination reveals one house with two lifeforms on the surface. Riker leads an away team to the anomalous house and they find it appears to be just what the sensors described. Riker is caught in a snare trap and an old man with a phaser appears, but his wife calms him down. Kevin and Rana claim to not understand why they survived and have no intention of leaving. Data is fascinated by the house and picks up a music box which starts playing. Just then Troi is struck with some sort of psychic attack in the form of the song from the music box.
Riker returns to the ship and suddenly a warship appears and comes in to attack. The attack doesn't damage the Enterprise but the ship manages to flee faster than the Enterprise can follow. Picard breaks off the attack and returns to the planet and beams down to talk to Kevin and Rana again. After having some tea Picard fails again to get them to agree to leave. As soon as he returns to the Enterprise the warship appears again and manages to destroy their shields in no time and is unaffected by their most powerful weapons. The Enterprise flees again, but after an hour turns back. Picard beams down again and tells Kevin the only way he is leaving again is if he and his wife are dead.
Picard returns to the Enterprise and the warship appears only this time it fires at the planet and is then destroyed by a single photon torpedo. Picard has the ship wait in high orbit and sure enough, after some time the house reappears. Picard has Kevin and Rana beamed to the bridge. They are outraged but after Picard explains that Troi is being devastated by the music and that he knows Rana is already dead Rana disappears and Kevin flees to Troi's quarters. With only Dr. Crusher there Picard confronts Kevin to admits to being some sort of godthing and that he refused to fight the attackers but after they killed his wife he wiped every one of them out of existence. Picard decides to agree he can't judge a god and they get the hell out of there.
Review: This episode suffers for its lack of a B story, but the A story is strong enough to keep it entertaining. Having to watch Marina Sirtis act like she is in pain gives me some pain so that isn't exactly ideal. I admit I am a sucker for a plot that ties up all loose ends and this certainly qualifies for that.
6 out of 10
The episode opens with the Enterprise investigating a distress call from a colony. When they arrive the find the entire surface of the planet devastated by an unknown force. Careful sensor examination reveals one house with two lifeforms on the surface. Riker leads an away team to the anomalous house and they find it appears to be just what the sensors described. Riker is caught in a snare trap and an old man with a phaser appears, but his wife calms him down. Kevin and Rana claim to not understand why they survived and have no intention of leaving. Data is fascinated by the house and picks up a music box which starts playing. Just then Troi is struck with some sort of psychic attack in the form of the song from the music box.
Riker returns to the ship and suddenly a warship appears and comes in to attack. The attack doesn't damage the Enterprise but the ship manages to flee faster than the Enterprise can follow. Picard breaks off the attack and returns to the planet and beams down to talk to Kevin and Rana again. After having some tea Picard fails again to get them to agree to leave. As soon as he returns to the Enterprise the warship appears again and manages to destroy their shields in no time and is unaffected by their most powerful weapons. The Enterprise flees again, but after an hour turns back. Picard beams down again and tells Kevin the only way he is leaving again is if he and his wife are dead.
Picard returns to the Enterprise and the warship appears only this time it fires at the planet and is then destroyed by a single photon torpedo. Picard has the ship wait in high orbit and sure enough, after some time the house reappears. Picard has Kevin and Rana beamed to the bridge. They are outraged but after Picard explains that Troi is being devastated by the music and that he knows Rana is already dead Rana disappears and Kevin flees to Troi's quarters. With only Dr. Crusher there Picard confronts Kevin to admits to being some sort of godthing and that he refused to fight the attackers but after they killed his wife he wiped every one of them out of existence. Picard decides to agree he can't judge a god and they get the hell out of there.
Review: This episode suffers for its lack of a B story, but the A story is strong enough to keep it entertaining. Having to watch Marina Sirtis act like she is in pain gives me some pain so that isn't exactly ideal. I admit I am a sucker for a plot that ties up all loose ends and this certainly qualifies for that.
6 out of 10
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
TNG: Ensigns of Command
I watched TNG religiously during its original airing so I am pretty sure I have seen this episode before, but I have no memory of it. That said it was a pretty solid episode. Focusing one of the main story threads on Data and the other on Picard is a hard move to argue with as well. The Sheliak don't appear all that inhuman, but they work as a mysterious threat never the less. By far my favorite moment in the episode is when Picard has the Sheliak representative on the ropes diplomatically and while waiting to respond to their hail he checks the Enterprise dedication plague for dust.
The episode opens with Picard and Dr. Crusher preparing to listen to Data's first concert performance in Ten Forward. Data preapologizes for his unfeeling performance but they both insist they want to see it any way. However just as they are beginning Picard is summoned to the bridge, there is a message from the Sheliak, a powerful race that hasn't been heard from in over a century. On the bridge he learns they are broadcasting a recorded messaged demanding the removal of a human colony from a planet in their domain they wish to colonize. The Federation doesn't know of a colony there and in face the place is filled with deadly radiation. However when they investigate they find the Sheliak claim accurate, there are humans on the surface and transporters are inoperative.
Since the radiation is so deadly Data agrees to take a shuttle to the surface. He is greeted by the human colonists and taken to their leader who is less than pleased with the idea of leaving. It turns out they got lost on the way and barely survived the radiation, but somehow thrived and there are over 15,000 of them. Picard isn't pleased and insists Data prepare them for evacuation while he negotiates for time with the Sheliak who will be arriving in three days with the intention of wiping out all life on the planet prior to colonization. Data's efforts aren't going well and even with the help of a lady scientist he is unable to convince more than a few colonists. Eventually the leader knocks him out with an electric blast that of course doesn't actually hurt Data.
Picard manages to get the Sheliak talking, but they refuse to delay by even a little. Back on the planet Data takes matters into his own hands and rigs up a phaser to work on the radiation. He uses it to knock out some colonists and blast their water supply. He explains the Sheliak have even more power weapons and will just kill all the colonists from orbit. This is a convincing display and they agree to leave, but there still isn't time! Picard finally finds a loop hole in the treaty and gets the Sheliak to agree to arbitration, with a race of aliens currently in hibernation. Knowing they have been tricked they agree to the three week delay the Federation needs to get to colonists out.
Review: This episode is the same story as Insurrection basically, but it actually works and isn't totally dumb. The central focus on two of the strong characters/actors helps a lot as well and we are starting to see Data turn even more into the deep character he is known for later in the show. Even Troi manages to be useful in this one telling Picard he will need to be extra precise with the Sheliak allowing him to out negotiate them in the end.
8 out of 10
The episode opens with Picard and Dr. Crusher preparing to listen to Data's first concert performance in Ten Forward. Data preapologizes for his unfeeling performance but they both insist they want to see it any way. However just as they are beginning Picard is summoned to the bridge, there is a message from the Sheliak, a powerful race that hasn't been heard from in over a century. On the bridge he learns they are broadcasting a recorded messaged demanding the removal of a human colony from a planet in their domain they wish to colonize. The Federation doesn't know of a colony there and in face the place is filled with deadly radiation. However when they investigate they find the Sheliak claim accurate, there are humans on the surface and transporters are inoperative.
Since the radiation is so deadly Data agrees to take a shuttle to the surface. He is greeted by the human colonists and taken to their leader who is less than pleased with the idea of leaving. It turns out they got lost on the way and barely survived the radiation, but somehow thrived and there are over 15,000 of them. Picard isn't pleased and insists Data prepare them for evacuation while he negotiates for time with the Sheliak who will be arriving in three days with the intention of wiping out all life on the planet prior to colonization. Data's efforts aren't going well and even with the help of a lady scientist he is unable to convince more than a few colonists. Eventually the leader knocks him out with an electric blast that of course doesn't actually hurt Data.
Picard manages to get the Sheliak talking, but they refuse to delay by even a little. Back on the planet Data takes matters into his own hands and rigs up a phaser to work on the radiation. He uses it to knock out some colonists and blast their water supply. He explains the Sheliak have even more power weapons and will just kill all the colonists from orbit. This is a convincing display and they agree to leave, but there still isn't time! Picard finally finds a loop hole in the treaty and gets the Sheliak to agree to arbitration, with a race of aliens currently in hibernation. Knowing they have been tricked they agree to the three week delay the Federation needs to get to colonists out.
Review: This episode is the same story as Insurrection basically, but it actually works and isn't totally dumb. The central focus on two of the strong characters/actors helps a lot as well and we are starting to see Data turn even more into the deep character he is known for later in the show. Even Troi manages to be useful in this one telling Picard he will need to be extra precise with the Sheliak allowing him to out negotiate them in the end.
8 out of 10
Monday, July 27, 2015
TNG: Evolution
I'm back baby! It was strange spending a week without Star Trek, but I am up in the mountains for the next few weeks and I packed my bluray copy of season 3 TNG so it should be smooth sailing for at least the next few months. Season 3 comes in with a bang, new sets, Dr. Crusher is back, and Wesley is up to his usual shenanigans. As a kid I always had mixed feelings about Dr. Crusher, but after a season of Pulaski I will take her beautiful red hair and snark any day. It is almost like she cares about her patients and her job or something.
The episode begins with Wesley waking up from a nap with Riker calling. They are approaching a star system with a neutron star that explodes in a strange way every two hundred or so years. They have a Starfleet specialist on board to study the phenomenon with a specially designed "egg". As they approach the star system, in this case a neutron star feeding of a larger red companion, they suddenly lose power and start falling towards the streams of stellar matter without shields. They recover just in time but strangely the computer doesn't record any failures. Geordi gets to work but things keep going wrong. First the replicators (called food slots for no apparent reason in this episode) start over flowing and then Star and Stripes Forever starts blaring on the bridge.
Wesley is acting suspiciously and Guinan catches him placing traps of some sort around Ten Forward. It turns out Wesley has released evolved nano-machines into the computer and they are eating the systems and evolving at a rapid rate. Guinan keeps his secret but his mom spills the beans to the captain as soon as she finds out. They try to slow them down but the egg scientist (hereby know as Eggman) blasts the computer core with gamma radiation killing a large number of them but provoking the rest to try and kill the crew with toxic gasses. Picard is convinced they are intelligent from this and confines Eggman to quarters where the nanites again try to kill him, this time with electricity.
Data figures out that they are evolving fast enough they should be able to communicate soon and quickly he is proved right. Eventually they take the drastic measure of letting the nanites take over Data and through him Picard manages to negotiate peace. Eggman's giant eggsperiment goes off just fine and the even find a planet for the nanites to take over. The episode closes with Dr. Crusher watching Wesley with some friends in Ten Forward.
Review: This is a solid scifi story with decent character bits as well. Wesley almost destroys the ship but also is only fairly super annoying. Troi manages to be useless as usual and Data saves the day just like always. Not super memorable, but a solid episode.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with Wesley waking up from a nap with Riker calling. They are approaching a star system with a neutron star that explodes in a strange way every two hundred or so years. They have a Starfleet specialist on board to study the phenomenon with a specially designed "egg". As they approach the star system, in this case a neutron star feeding of a larger red companion, they suddenly lose power and start falling towards the streams of stellar matter without shields. They recover just in time but strangely the computer doesn't record any failures. Geordi gets to work but things keep going wrong. First the replicators (called food slots for no apparent reason in this episode) start over flowing and then Star and Stripes Forever starts blaring on the bridge.
Wesley is acting suspiciously and Guinan catches him placing traps of some sort around Ten Forward. It turns out Wesley has released evolved nano-machines into the computer and they are eating the systems and evolving at a rapid rate. Guinan keeps his secret but his mom spills the beans to the captain as soon as she finds out. They try to slow them down but the egg scientist (hereby know as Eggman) blasts the computer core with gamma radiation killing a large number of them but provoking the rest to try and kill the crew with toxic gasses. Picard is convinced they are intelligent from this and confines Eggman to quarters where the nanites again try to kill him, this time with electricity.
Data figures out that they are evolving fast enough they should be able to communicate soon and quickly he is proved right. Eventually they take the drastic measure of letting the nanites take over Data and through him Picard manages to negotiate peace. Eggman's giant eggsperiment goes off just fine and the even find a planet for the nanites to take over. The episode closes with Dr. Crusher watching Wesley with some friends in Ten Forward.
Review: This is a solid scifi story with decent character bits as well. Wesley almost destroys the ship but also is only fairly super annoying. Troi manages to be useless as usual and Data saves the day just like always. Not super memorable, but a solid episode.
7 out of 10
Saturday, July 18, 2015
TNG: Shades of Gray
I am going to be away from computers and screens for a week so this will be my last review for 7 days. After that I will return to my normal schedule for the foreseeable future. On to today's episode: A CLIP SHOW??????? By far my least favorite episodes of the Simpsons are the clip shows. They always feel like a punishment for having loyally watched the show because now you get to watch it again only without context. In this case we get to see clips of Riker from the last two seasons cut together without any effort to make it make sense. I didn't recall the episode existing, but I do remember the shots of the needles going into his head so I am sure I have seen it before.
This episode has a cold opening with Riker and Geordi exploring a planet and Riker has been injured. Something stabbed him in the leg and when O'Brien tries to beam him aboard an unknown microbe is detected in his leg. Pulaski agrees to use the transporter for the first (and last) time Pulaski has used the transporter. After waving her tricorder over his leg for about a second she agrees to override the biofilter and beam him back to the ship. She discovered life never seen before spreading through his nerves. Riker is trying to put on a good face but while being visited by Deanna he passes out. Pulaski discovers it is almost to his brain so she puts needles in his head which makes him start reliving his "memories."
The rest of the episode is a bunch of clips from earlier in the show inter cut with Pulaski and Troi watching him die. Just as he appears do die they figure out how to save him and shockingly he recovers, but fortunately Pulaski is gone after this episode.
Review: I cheated and wrote up this review while watching the episode and looked up stuff on memory alpha while watching which I never do. And I don't feel bad at all. I hate clip shows that aren't The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular.
1 out of 10
This episode has a cold opening with Riker and Geordi exploring a planet and Riker has been injured. Something stabbed him in the leg and when O'Brien tries to beam him aboard an unknown microbe is detected in his leg. Pulaski agrees to use the transporter for the first (and last) time Pulaski has used the transporter. After waving her tricorder over his leg for about a second she agrees to override the biofilter and beam him back to the ship. She discovered life never seen before spreading through his nerves. Riker is trying to put on a good face but while being visited by Deanna he passes out. Pulaski discovers it is almost to his brain so she puts needles in his head which makes him start reliving his "memories."
The rest of the episode is a bunch of clips from earlier in the show inter cut with Pulaski and Troi watching him die. Just as he appears do die they figure out how to save him and shockingly he recovers, but fortunately Pulaski is gone after this episode.
Review: I cheated and wrote up this review while watching the episode and looked up stuff on memory alpha while watching which I never do. And I don't feel bad at all. I hate clip shows that aren't The Simpsons 138th Episode Spectacular.
1 out of 10
Thursday, July 16, 2015
TNG: Peak Performance
Other than the weird game with the finger cups I didn't really remember much of this episode, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I still think A Matter of Honor is a better Riker episode, but so far this is a close second. It also shows the rest of the crew being highly efficient at their jobs and even has decent rolls for both Pulaski and Wesley. Worf continues his run as a total badass with fun parts for both Geordi and Data as well. I guess what makes this episode work so well is it does a really good job of using the strengths of the various crew members to both show tactical efficiency and a sense of crew cohesion.
The episode begins with the Enterprise picking up renowned Federation strategist Kolrami to help with with a war game they are going do against the 80 year old USS Hathaway. Riker will command the Hathaway with crew of his choosing against the Enterprise. Riker is up for the challenge and even challenges Kolrami go a game of strategema, a reflex/tactical game Kolrami is the grandmaster of. Riker only manages to make it a few moves, but Data is intrigued by the game. Riker beams over with Worf, Geordi, and Wesley plus some random extras and they get to work getting the Hathaway in working order.
Geordi finds the warp engines totally incapable of functioning but Wesley manages to trick the Enterprise crew into letting him pick up his school project that has just the parts they need to get the warp engines working, but only for 2 or so seconds. Still it should be a good surprise. Worf gets to work programming the computer to fool the Enterprise sensors into thinking they are being attacked by Romulans. Back on the Enterprise Pulaski manages to talk Data into challenging Kolrami to a strategema game which Data loses after putting up a serious fight. This causes Data to fall into a deep period of self doubt which Picard has to order him to get out of.
Eventually he fight is on and the Hathaway uses Worfs trick to do some serious simulated damage to the Enterprise. But suddenly a Ferengi vessel appears and actually opens fire on the Enterprise. Even though they have no weapons Picard refuses to retreat and abandon Riker and the Hathaway. The Ferengi demand the Hathaway but are denied. Data and Geordi come up with a plan to fake the destruction of the Hathaway with photon torpedoes and the momentary burst of warp. It works and Worf fools the Ferengi into thinking another Federation vessel has arrived and they retreat. In the final scene Data has a rematch with Kolrami who eventually storms out. It seems Data found a way to not lose, but also not win indefinetly which really pisses off the master stragest
Review: This is a really fun episode that almost makes me regret that this is just about the end for Pulaski. Seeing where they were going with her character makes her earlier demeanor make a little more sense, but she is still an awful doctor with terrible bedside manner.
8 out of 10
The episode begins with the Enterprise picking up renowned Federation strategist Kolrami to help with with a war game they are going do against the 80 year old USS Hathaway. Riker will command the Hathaway with crew of his choosing against the Enterprise. Riker is up for the challenge and even challenges Kolrami go a game of strategema, a reflex/tactical game Kolrami is the grandmaster of. Riker only manages to make it a few moves, but Data is intrigued by the game. Riker beams over with Worf, Geordi, and Wesley plus some random extras and they get to work getting the Hathaway in working order.
Geordi finds the warp engines totally incapable of functioning but Wesley manages to trick the Enterprise crew into letting him pick up his school project that has just the parts they need to get the warp engines working, but only for 2 or so seconds. Still it should be a good surprise. Worf gets to work programming the computer to fool the Enterprise sensors into thinking they are being attacked by Romulans. Back on the Enterprise Pulaski manages to talk Data into challenging Kolrami to a strategema game which Data loses after putting up a serious fight. This causes Data to fall into a deep period of self doubt which Picard has to order him to get out of.
Eventually he fight is on and the Hathaway uses Worfs trick to do some serious simulated damage to the Enterprise. But suddenly a Ferengi vessel appears and actually opens fire on the Enterprise. Even though they have no weapons Picard refuses to retreat and abandon Riker and the Hathaway. The Ferengi demand the Hathaway but are denied. Data and Geordi come up with a plan to fake the destruction of the Hathaway with photon torpedoes and the momentary burst of warp. It works and Worf fools the Ferengi into thinking another Federation vessel has arrived and they retreat. In the final scene Data has a rematch with Kolrami who eventually storms out. It seems Data found a way to not lose, but also not win indefinetly which really pisses off the master stragest
Review: This is a really fun episode that almost makes me regret that this is just about the end for Pulaski. Seeing where they were going with her character makes her earlier demeanor make a little more sense, but she is still an awful doctor with terrible bedside manner.
8 out of 10
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
TNG: The Emisarry
Not to be confused with the very similarly titled DS9 episode Emisarry, this is the one about Worf's ex who is now apparently a special envoy of the Klingon Empire despite being half human. Maybe the Klingons are so into honor and whatever that they look past someone being half human when it comes to getting jobs and promotions and stuff, but I kinda doubt it. Especially someone who so clearly spurns their traditions, but whatever, she is an envoy. Despite some issues this turns out to be an extremely strong Worf episode, especially for so early in the series. He is still mostly being depicted as the always aggressive security officer, nice to seem him getting to do some serious negotiating.
The episode begins with the second crew poker game which despite involving Pulaski and Data is actually pretty good. Her casual racism has been brought to an almost acceptable level by this point. They are interrupted by a Starfleet emergency signal and rush to the bridge before Worf can win ALL the chips. It is a big mystery and the admiral in charge will only tell them they have to go to specific coordinates and await an envoy arriving in a probe. This is highly unusual even by arbitrary Starfleet command orders but they do it anyway and the probe turns out to contain a half Klingon lady with a dangerous mission. It turns out that 100 years earlier the Klingon empire sent out sleeper ships full of frozen warriors and they don't know the war is over. The Enterprises job is to track them down and try to keep them from destroying a nearby Federation outpost.
The envoy seems convinced they will need to destroy the ship but Picard and company aren't going to just start shooting. Worf is assigned to work with her on a plan which he is upset about since they apparently dated years earlier and it didn't go well. Troi tries to get in the middle of course but they best advice she can give envoy lady is to go work out on the holodeck. She tries Worf's exercise/combat routine and he joins her. And I mean joins her because it is such a turn on that they get it on. Worf then declares they are getting married and she is understandably upset by this.
Finally they find the rouge ship and as soon as it appears it opens fire and then cloaks again. The Enterprise pursues but it doesn't look good. But then Worf suddenly has a plan. He gets them to block the Klingon's path with their ship and he rushes off to get changed. When they Klingons drop their cloak the Enterprise hails with Worf in command. He talks the captain down and they agree to let the envoy take command of their ship until the other Klingon vessel can arrive to escort them home. Worf has an emotional good bye in the transporter room and credits.
Review: Some of the Klingon/human/Klingon romance issues in this episode aren't the best, but overall it works well. We get to see both the emotional side and the leadership sides of Worf in ways that haven't been explored much. It makes me really glad he got to join DS9 and keep going with the character after TNG ended.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with the second crew poker game which despite involving Pulaski and Data is actually pretty good. Her casual racism has been brought to an almost acceptable level by this point. They are interrupted by a Starfleet emergency signal and rush to the bridge before Worf can win ALL the chips. It is a big mystery and the admiral in charge will only tell them they have to go to specific coordinates and await an envoy arriving in a probe. This is highly unusual even by arbitrary Starfleet command orders but they do it anyway and the probe turns out to contain a half Klingon lady with a dangerous mission. It turns out that 100 years earlier the Klingon empire sent out sleeper ships full of frozen warriors and they don't know the war is over. The Enterprises job is to track them down and try to keep them from destroying a nearby Federation outpost.
The envoy seems convinced they will need to destroy the ship but Picard and company aren't going to just start shooting. Worf is assigned to work with her on a plan which he is upset about since they apparently dated years earlier and it didn't go well. Troi tries to get in the middle of course but they best advice she can give envoy lady is to go work out on the holodeck. She tries Worf's exercise/combat routine and he joins her. And I mean joins her because it is such a turn on that they get it on. Worf then declares they are getting married and she is understandably upset by this.
Finally they find the rouge ship and as soon as it appears it opens fire and then cloaks again. The Enterprise pursues but it doesn't look good. But then Worf suddenly has a plan. He gets them to block the Klingon's path with their ship and he rushes off to get changed. When they Klingons drop their cloak the Enterprise hails with Worf in command. He talks the captain down and they agree to let the envoy take command of their ship until the other Klingon vessel can arrive to escort them home. Worf has an emotional good bye in the transporter room and credits.
Review: Some of the Klingon/human/Klingon romance issues in this episode aren't the best, but overall it works well. We get to see both the emotional side and the leadership sides of Worf in ways that haven't been explored much. It makes me really glad he got to join DS9 and keep going with the character after TNG ended.
7 out of 10
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
TNG: Manhunt
I never thought I would be looking forward to a Lwaxana Troi episode, but after the last nights Up the Long Ladder today's episode was something of a relief. I have a theory about Lwaxana, I think she is supposed to represent the worst depictions of men courting women on media but with the genders swapped. She always thinks she knows what men want and that she is that thing. This episode manages to have two subplots, but they both feel squeezed out by all the Troi. Having Data show up to bail him out of a solo dinner with Lwaxana is a pro move by the captain.
The episode begins with the Enterprise in charge of bringing deligates to planet Pacifica for a conference, the same opening as Journey to Babel in TOS. They pick up some hibernating fish people who are delegates and also get a surprise visit from the Betazoid ambassador, none other than Lwaxana Troi. She is dead set on marrying Picard and even tricks him into a private dinner in her quarters, but he out smarts and and invites Data. Deanna explains to the senior staff that her mother is going through a period of her development where she is super extra horny for a bit. To avoid her they all agree the captain should spend some quality time in the holodeck.
Picard decides the best choice for relaxation is his Dixon Hill detective adventures, but the computer keeps trying to kill him. Eventually he decides to just head to the virtual bar with his secretary. Back in reality just about every man on the ship including Worf is trying to keep Lwaxana at bay. Eventually she declares she is marrying Riker but he flees to the holodeck as well. She finds him and the captain relaxing and is at first upset but then falls for the unreadable bartender who is of course an illusion. But given how the rest of the episode has gone they both let her have her fun for a bit. In the very end she proves to still have her mind reading powers when she detects that the fish ambassadors are in fact assassins carrying undetectable explosives saving the day.
Review: This is another one that I hated as a kid and would have for sure given a 1 out of 10. But as an adult it has improved a bit and is up to:
4 out of 10
The episode begins with the Enterprise in charge of bringing deligates to planet Pacifica for a conference, the same opening as Journey to Babel in TOS. They pick up some hibernating fish people who are delegates and also get a surprise visit from the Betazoid ambassador, none other than Lwaxana Troi. She is dead set on marrying Picard and even tricks him into a private dinner in her quarters, but he out smarts and and invites Data. Deanna explains to the senior staff that her mother is going through a period of her development where she is super extra horny for a bit. To avoid her they all agree the captain should spend some quality time in the holodeck.
Picard decides the best choice for relaxation is his Dixon Hill detective adventures, but the computer keeps trying to kill him. Eventually he decides to just head to the virtual bar with his secretary. Back in reality just about every man on the ship including Worf is trying to keep Lwaxana at bay. Eventually she declares she is marrying Riker but he flees to the holodeck as well. She finds him and the captain relaxing and is at first upset but then falls for the unreadable bartender who is of course an illusion. But given how the rest of the episode has gone they both let her have her fun for a bit. In the very end she proves to still have her mind reading powers when she detects that the fish ambassadors are in fact assassins carrying undetectable explosives saving the day.
Review: This is another one that I hated as a kid and would have for sure given a 1 out of 10. But as an adult it has improved a bit and is up to:
4 out of 10
Monday, July 13, 2015
TNG: Up the Long Ladder
Wow, that a throwback of an episode. When the best scene is the one with Pulaski and Worf drinking poison you know you aren't on solid ground. At least Wesley isn't in it? This is the one with the space Irish and the space Clones who are afraid of sex. I have so many questions about this episode, but the first one is, why do they put straw everywhere? When they are beamed aboard for some reason the transporter decided it had to take the straw with them. Perhaps they are afraid to touch ground not covered in straw? Since they are humans the prime directive doesn't apply, but does this really give Picard the power to destroy both societies? Arrrrrr...
The episode begins with a primitive distress signal being detected that for some reason took weeks to figure out for anyone not on the Enterprise. The Enterprise computer can of course recognize it immediately and they even figure out what ship it was coming from. Then Worf collapses, turns out to have a childhood illness he is embarrassed about, and has to drink poison tea with Pulaski. I think I just gave this subplot more time than the writers did. Anyway, they find the colonists in desperate trouble so Riker beams down to get them and beams up with a bunch of drunken Irish peasants along with farm animals and for some reason lots of straw.
The space Irish have problems fitting in what with starting fires to cook food, but at least the leaders daughter manages to hook up with Riker. Lots of messing around and the daughter being mad at everyone and the dad just getting as drunk as possible. They find the other half of the colony which instead of turning into inbred hicks turned into uppity clones. They didn't have enough population to reproduce normally so they have instead cloned themselves to the point they aren't stable any more. They want to make clones of the Enterprise crew even though this clearly wouldn't actually solve their problem. They don't take no for an answer but fortunately Pulaski and Riker and willing to beam down and cold blooded murder their clones.
To solve all the problems Picard decides to merge the two societies even though the clones find this super offensive and the Irish women are being volunteered for constant reproduction with multiple men. And wrap.
Review: This episode is both offensive and dumb. The writing is terrible. I don't really have any more to say, I hope I never see a episode this bad again.
1 out of 10
The episode begins with a primitive distress signal being detected that for some reason took weeks to figure out for anyone not on the Enterprise. The Enterprise computer can of course recognize it immediately and they even figure out what ship it was coming from. Then Worf collapses, turns out to have a childhood illness he is embarrassed about, and has to drink poison tea with Pulaski. I think I just gave this subplot more time than the writers did. Anyway, they find the colonists in desperate trouble so Riker beams down to get them and beams up with a bunch of drunken Irish peasants along with farm animals and for some reason lots of straw.
The space Irish have problems fitting in what with starting fires to cook food, but at least the leaders daughter manages to hook up with Riker. Lots of messing around and the daughter being mad at everyone and the dad just getting as drunk as possible. They find the other half of the colony which instead of turning into inbred hicks turned into uppity clones. They didn't have enough population to reproduce normally so they have instead cloned themselves to the point they aren't stable any more. They want to make clones of the Enterprise crew even though this clearly wouldn't actually solve their problem. They don't take no for an answer but fortunately Pulaski and Riker and willing to beam down and cold blooded murder their clones.
To solve all the problems Picard decides to merge the two societies even though the clones find this super offensive and the Irish women are being volunteered for constant reproduction with multiple men. And wrap.
Review: This episode is both offensive and dumb. The writing is terrible. I don't really have any more to say, I hope I never see a episode this bad again.
1 out of 10
Sunday, July 12, 2015
TNG: Samaritan Snare
I am pretty sure I didn't like this episode the first time I saw it. Or at the very least I didn't get it. When I was a kid I, like Wesley was impressed with how cool Picard was for getting into a fight and I didn't understand why Riker didn't let Worf storm the Pakled ship. Now that I am a bit older I enjoyed the scenes of Wesley and Picard on the shuttle a hell of a lot more and I am still not sure why they didn't commando raid the Pakled ship. Dr. "her greatest virtue is empathy" Pulaski continues to be obnoxious. She does save the captains life after he refuses to let her touch his heart but of course has to stay after he awakens to taunt him about it.
The episode begins with Picard telling Pulaski he would rather spend 6 hours in a shuttle with Wesley than let her mess with his heart. Wes is understandably nervous about all this but he has to go to the same starbase to take more academy exams for some reason? I guess as long as he keeps taking tests he can stay out of the actual academy and keep piloting the flagship. Just as they get on their way Riker receives a distress call from a distant star system and rushes off to take care of it. They arrive and find a ship full of idiots. The Pakled are barely able to say they have a problem let alone describe what it is. Geordi volunteers to go over to help. Worf objects but Riker can't see the harm. Just after Geordi beams over Troi (who wasn't on the bridge earlier for some reason) rushes in a says the Pakled are lying and Geordi is in trouble. But of course they ignore her.
Geordi gets to work fixing the ship and we check in on the captain. He and Wesley are having a tense conversation, but eventually Picard offers Wesley a sandwich and tells him the story of losing his heart in a bar fight. Wesley doesn't really get it, but it relaxes Picard to see someone so young and eager, even if he won't take a hit to stop asking why he never married or had kids. Back on the Enterprise Troi is being proven correct. As soon as Geordi finished his work the Pakleds shot him with his own phaser and turn on their shields they had carefully hidden. They demand Geordi make phasers for them and demand the Enterprise turn over the content of its computer.
Back at the starbase Picard goes into surgery and Wesley goes to take his tests. Riker decides the best way to get Geordi back is to trick the dumb Pakleds. He comes up with a plan to covertly tell Geordi to turn off the weapons on the Pakled ship as the Enterprise impressively vents hydrogen. It works, and just in time! Picard's surgery is going poorly and they rush back to the starbase so Pulaski can save the captains life and then gloat about it ruthlessly.
Review: For an episode with both Pulaski and Wesley in it this one is pretty watchable. They keep Pulaski away from Data which is always a good call. Wesley is only there to look like an idiot and learn from the captain and I could watch Patrick Stewart tell me stories all day without complaint.
6 out of 10
The episode begins with Picard telling Pulaski he would rather spend 6 hours in a shuttle with Wesley than let her mess with his heart. Wes is understandably nervous about all this but he has to go to the same starbase to take more academy exams for some reason? I guess as long as he keeps taking tests he can stay out of the actual academy and keep piloting the flagship. Just as they get on their way Riker receives a distress call from a distant star system and rushes off to take care of it. They arrive and find a ship full of idiots. The Pakled are barely able to say they have a problem let alone describe what it is. Geordi volunteers to go over to help. Worf objects but Riker can't see the harm. Just after Geordi beams over Troi (who wasn't on the bridge earlier for some reason) rushes in a says the Pakled are lying and Geordi is in trouble. But of course they ignore her.
Geordi gets to work fixing the ship and we check in on the captain. He and Wesley are having a tense conversation, but eventually Picard offers Wesley a sandwich and tells him the story of losing his heart in a bar fight. Wesley doesn't really get it, but it relaxes Picard to see someone so young and eager, even if he won't take a hit to stop asking why he never married or had kids. Back on the Enterprise Troi is being proven correct. As soon as Geordi finished his work the Pakleds shot him with his own phaser and turn on their shields they had carefully hidden. They demand Geordi make phasers for them and demand the Enterprise turn over the content of its computer.
Back at the starbase Picard goes into surgery and Wesley goes to take his tests. Riker decides the best way to get Geordi back is to trick the dumb Pakleds. He comes up with a plan to covertly tell Geordi to turn off the weapons on the Pakled ship as the Enterprise impressively vents hydrogen. It works, and just in time! Picard's surgery is going poorly and they rush back to the starbase so Pulaski can save the captains life and then gloat about it ruthlessly.
Review: For an episode with both Pulaski and Wesley in it this one is pretty watchable. They keep Pulaski away from Data which is always a good call. Wesley is only there to look like an idiot and learn from the captain and I could watch Patrick Stewart tell me stories all day without complaint.
6 out of 10
Saturday, July 11, 2015
TNG: Q-Who?
I missed a day last Thursday so I am doing double duty today! Luckily neither of them were the worst of season two. This one was even good I would say. The episode where Q tries to recruit Riker is quite a bit weaker than this one. Q-Who? also starts to show that this series isn't going to be limited to just single episode storylines and that broader problems for the Federation are going to be created and addressed. The Borg are I think TNG's greatest addition to overall Trek canon. Sure we got the Ferengi as well, but they aren't really fleshed out until DS9 where as the Borg are front and center for a lot of TNG and have left quite a legacy through the rest of Trek, especially VOY.
The episode begins with a light bit about a new engineering ensign spilling hot chocolate all over the captain and Geordi hitting on her the entire time. But when he gets her to Ten Forward Guinan isn't worried, and she should be. Instead of going to the deck with his quarters to change uniforms Picard finds himself in a shuttle with Q in the middle of no where. It seems Q has been kicked out of the Q continuum and now wants a place on the Enterprise. Picard agrees to return to the ship and they find themselves in Ten Forward. Guinan recognizes Q and he recognizes her from centuries ago. Q blusters about how humans aren't ready for whats out there and to prove his point throws the ship 7000 light years from the edge of the Federation. Instead of following Guinan's advice to turn around and head home Picard decides to look around.
They find an industrial planet with the cities missing in a manner resembling the missing outposts from The Neutral Zone (which actually implies the Borg are much closer than Q knows and are in fact already a direct threat to the Federation). Suddenly an unknown ship appears, it is in the form of a cube much larger than the Enterprise with apparently no lifeforms aboard. It locks a tractor beam on the Enterprise knocking out shields and starts cutting the ship apart. They manage to blast their way free but instead of getting the hell out of there they hang out and even send an away team over to poke around. They find lots more Borg and even Borg babies.
They also discover the ship is repairing itself. Now Picard is ready to run so he beams the away team back and heads out and high warp. But it is too late, the Borg are in pursuit. No matter how fast they go the Borg catch up and weapons seem totally ineffective. Finally after the shields are down and the tractor beam is dragging them in Picard asks Q for help and they are flung back to safety. Q rants about how inferior they all are and disappears to go burn ants with a magnifying glass or something.
Review: This episode does a really good job of introducing the Borg. Some of the ideas that it introduces that stick around the whole time are their quick adaptation, how they kidnap people to turn into Borg, and how impressively dangerous their ships are. Q is a pain in the ass as usual, but at least this time he seems to have a point about there being dangerous things in the universe, and not very far off.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with a light bit about a new engineering ensign spilling hot chocolate all over the captain and Geordi hitting on her the entire time. But when he gets her to Ten Forward Guinan isn't worried, and she should be. Instead of going to the deck with his quarters to change uniforms Picard finds himself in a shuttle with Q in the middle of no where. It seems Q has been kicked out of the Q continuum and now wants a place on the Enterprise. Picard agrees to return to the ship and they find themselves in Ten Forward. Guinan recognizes Q and he recognizes her from centuries ago. Q blusters about how humans aren't ready for whats out there and to prove his point throws the ship 7000 light years from the edge of the Federation. Instead of following Guinan's advice to turn around and head home Picard decides to look around.
They find an industrial planet with the cities missing in a manner resembling the missing outposts from The Neutral Zone (which actually implies the Borg are much closer than Q knows and are in fact already a direct threat to the Federation). Suddenly an unknown ship appears, it is in the form of a cube much larger than the Enterprise with apparently no lifeforms aboard. It locks a tractor beam on the Enterprise knocking out shields and starts cutting the ship apart. They manage to blast their way free but instead of getting the hell out of there they hang out and even send an away team over to poke around. They find lots more Borg and even Borg babies.
They also discover the ship is repairing itself. Now Picard is ready to run so he beams the away team back and heads out and high warp. But it is too late, the Borg are in pursuit. No matter how fast they go the Borg catch up and weapons seem totally ineffective. Finally after the shields are down and the tractor beam is dragging them in Picard asks Q for help and they are flung back to safety. Q rants about how inferior they all are and disappears to go burn ants with a magnifying glass or something.
Review: This episode does a really good job of introducing the Borg. Some of the ideas that it introduces that stick around the whole time are their quick adaptation, how they kidnap people to turn into Borg, and how impressively dangerous their ships are. Q is a pain in the ass as usual, but at least this time he seems to have a point about there being dangerous things in the universe, and not very far off.
7 out of 10
TNG: Pen Pals
Pen Pals is an one of those episodes that you remember once you start watching, but forget pretty soon afterwards. There isn't anything wrong with it that I can point out and say that is where they went wrong, but it also seems a little bland. The A story about Data finding a little girl on a doomed planet and violating the prime directive by talking to her doesn't really pay off like it probably should have. The subplot about Wesley getting his first command experience also doesn't seems pretty formulaic. First they don't do what he says but then he gets some confidence and everything goes perfectly. And at the end of the episode after they have saved an entire planet of people in violation of the prime directive they make it all better by erasing one girls memory.
The episode opens with Riker on the bridge entering an unstable star system and Picard explaining why horses are awesome to Troi on the holodeck. Before Picard can ride off into the forest Riker calls him to the bridge which is clearly disappointing to Riker. The crisis he had to rush there for was that a previously life bearing planet was now a volcanic hell hole and wasn't changing or something requiring hurry at all. The bridge crew have a conference and decide that Wesley needs his first taste of command so they give him the job of running the mineral survey team. After they break up the meeting Data starts scanning for radio anomalies and finds a weak signal coming from one of the planets that hasn't destroyed itself yet. After messing with it for a bit he is able to get through to a young girl on the planet and worse, the planet is doomed.
Wesley is having trouble picking his team so there are lots of scenes of him getting advice. And after he has the team together it is hard for him to tell people older than him what they need to do, but after a pep talk from Riker things are going fine. Meanwhile Data tells Picard what he has done and Picard calls a senior staff meeting. They all agree it violates the prime directive and there is nothing they can do until they hear the little girls voice and all agree they should save her planet. For some reason this requires Data to beam down to get her and then bring her back up to the ship to watch Wesley save the planet with special photon torpedoes and then Pulaski erases her memory and everything is fine.
Review: I know the writers weren't going to kick Data off the show for violating the prime directive, but it loses some of its impact when it is so easily ignored. Also it would have been more interesting if there had been a little more conflict in the episode. They set Wesley up to have a hard time but all he has to do is be confident and everything turns out great. Certainly this isn't an unpleasant episode to watch, but not very memorable either.
5 out of 10
The episode opens with Riker on the bridge entering an unstable star system and Picard explaining why horses are awesome to Troi on the holodeck. Before Picard can ride off into the forest Riker calls him to the bridge which is clearly disappointing to Riker. The crisis he had to rush there for was that a previously life bearing planet was now a volcanic hell hole and wasn't changing or something requiring hurry at all. The bridge crew have a conference and decide that Wesley needs his first taste of command so they give him the job of running the mineral survey team. After they break up the meeting Data starts scanning for radio anomalies and finds a weak signal coming from one of the planets that hasn't destroyed itself yet. After messing with it for a bit he is able to get through to a young girl on the planet and worse, the planet is doomed.
Wesley is having trouble picking his team so there are lots of scenes of him getting advice. And after he has the team together it is hard for him to tell people older than him what they need to do, but after a pep talk from Riker things are going fine. Meanwhile Data tells Picard what he has done and Picard calls a senior staff meeting. They all agree it violates the prime directive and there is nothing they can do until they hear the little girls voice and all agree they should save her planet. For some reason this requires Data to beam down to get her and then bring her back up to the ship to watch Wesley save the planet with special photon torpedoes and then Pulaski erases her memory and everything is fine.
Review: I know the writers weren't going to kick Data off the show for violating the prime directive, but it loses some of its impact when it is so easily ignored. Also it would have been more interesting if there had been a little more conflict in the episode. They set Wesley up to have a hard time but all he has to do is be confident and everything turns out great. Certainly this isn't an unpleasant episode to watch, but not very memorable either.
5 out of 10
Thursday, July 9, 2015
TNG: The Icarus Factor
The Icarus Factor is an episode that really benefits from having a multi threaded story. The A story of Riker having to simultaneously decide if he is staying on the Enterprise and also having to deal with his estranged father is a bad story, but it drags a bit at times. The B story of Wesley discovering why Worf is so depressed is actually great and pays off in a solid character moment for the show. There is even a C story about the ship not behaving the way Geordi wants and his competence being questioned and ultimately redeemed. The only scene from this episode that has always stuck out in my mind is the goofy blind martial arts battle between Riker and his father at the end. Why that would be the ultimate evolution of martial arts totally escapes me.
The episode begins with an unplanned stop at Starbase Montgomery to diagnose a problem with the energy systems on the ship and to spring the surprise on Riker that he is being promoted to captain and leaving the Enterprise. Neither goes well as Geordi has to watch unaccountable crew from the starbase crawling all over his engine room and the person selected to brief Riker is his estranged father. Picard seems proud that his first officer is being promoted to captain and seems to think Riker is the man for the job. Even Worf asks to join him on his new assignment. And speaking of Worf he is extra snappy. He yells at Wesley for asking too many questions (who hasn't wanted to do that???) and even snaps at Data in Ten Forward.
We also learn that Pulaski dated Rikers father and some of their moments together are genuinely well done. There is a scene where I think Troi mentions that Pulaski's main talent is her empathy which is something I can't disagree with more. Riker having a hard time with his father and his father is having at least as hard a time with him. Eventually Wesley figures out that Worf is sad because he is missing an important Klingon ritual and he gets Data, Geordi, O'Brien, and Pulaski he help him create it in the holodeck for one of the best scenes in the episode.
Riker is busy saying good bye and challenging his father to a match of the ultimate martial art. While sparing with his dad they finally manage to talk about some of their issues and Riker even figures out that his dad had been cheating in their martial arts matches all these years. I am not sure if we are supposed to think they have reconciled or not, but in any case Riker decides to stay on the Enterprise and Geordi was right the whole time.
Review: This isn't a perfect episode, but it does have some good character moments. Unlike yesterdays scifi bonanza this one is just about the people. The Riker storyline felt a little unfinished but the other two plots worked out well and we even get to know O'Brien a little better. (Specifically that he has a history of being in battles which becomes more central to his character as time goes on.)
6 out of 10
The episode begins with an unplanned stop at Starbase Montgomery to diagnose a problem with the energy systems on the ship and to spring the surprise on Riker that he is being promoted to captain and leaving the Enterprise. Neither goes well as Geordi has to watch unaccountable crew from the starbase crawling all over his engine room and the person selected to brief Riker is his estranged father. Picard seems proud that his first officer is being promoted to captain and seems to think Riker is the man for the job. Even Worf asks to join him on his new assignment. And speaking of Worf he is extra snappy. He yells at Wesley for asking too many questions (who hasn't wanted to do that???) and even snaps at Data in Ten Forward.
We also learn that Pulaski dated Rikers father and some of their moments together are genuinely well done. There is a scene where I think Troi mentions that Pulaski's main talent is her empathy which is something I can't disagree with more. Riker having a hard time with his father and his father is having at least as hard a time with him. Eventually Wesley figures out that Worf is sad because he is missing an important Klingon ritual and he gets Data, Geordi, O'Brien, and Pulaski he help him create it in the holodeck for one of the best scenes in the episode.
Riker is busy saying good bye and challenging his father to a match of the ultimate martial art. While sparing with his dad they finally manage to talk about some of their issues and Riker even figures out that his dad had been cheating in their martial arts matches all these years. I am not sure if we are supposed to think they have reconciled or not, but in any case Riker decides to stay on the Enterprise and Geordi was right the whole time.
Review: This isn't a perfect episode, but it does have some good character moments. Unlike yesterdays scifi bonanza this one is just about the people. The Riker storyline felt a little unfinished but the other two plots worked out well and we even get to know O'Brien a little better. (Specifically that he has a history of being in battles which becomes more central to his character as time goes on.)
6 out of 10
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
TNG: Time Squared
I had forgotten this rare time travel episode with essentially no time travel in it. What it also has that few others offer is a look into Picard's heart and that the self doubt the haunts so many of us haunts him as well. And also that he is at his best when he doesn't doubt. It is also implied that the ship may have been stuck in this loop for more than one repetition, but it may also have only been the second time through. The fact that it doesn't try to technobabble its way out is a strong point in its favor.
The episode opens with a gag scene of Riker meticulously making omlettes for Worf, Data, Geordi and Pulaski. The joke is the eggs are awful but Worf loves them any way. Also, can Data taste? Luckily for us all the a summoned to the bridge. While on their way to some planet or another they have detected a signal from a Federation shuttle, but there are no large ships in the area so it is a mystery where it could be from. When it is brought on board they find it is from the Enterprise and that it is also not missing from the Enterprise. (You would have thought they could have figured this out from a basic scan but whatever.) On the shuttle is an unconscious Picard!
Pulaski is unable to revive the second captain and Picard numero uno is understandable alarmed. Scans show the doppelganger is out of sync with their time which is confirmed when Geordi and Data retrieve the log from the shuttle which is from six hours in the future. Also on the log is video of the Enterprise being destroyed and Picard talking about how it is sad and that he left but not why. This sends uno Picard into a spiral of self doubt which is only made worse by the sudden appearance of the vortex seen in the log destroying the Enterprise. They try to warp away but are only drawn further into the vortex. A beam keeps shooting out and scanning both Picards and it looks like uno is going to leave in the shuttle but in fact he is going to sickbay.
Dos Picard is now awake and wants to go to the shuttle which Uno insists the doctor allow. When they get to the shuttle Uno demands to know what the other option that they didn't try was and when Dos tells him it is fly into the vortex Uno kills Dos with his phaser because, "there can be only one," and I guess to close the causality loop. They fly straight in and are back on course in no time. Even better the other shuttle and corpse of Dos disappear so I guess Uno gets to stay captain.
Review: This is a fun episode with serious character and serious scifi. It has more Pulaski than I prefer, but she is almost bearable in this one. Also any episode with Patrick Stewart talking with and then killing Patrick Stewart gets and least one bonus point from me.
8 out of 10
The episode opens with a gag scene of Riker meticulously making omlettes for Worf, Data, Geordi and Pulaski. The joke is the eggs are awful but Worf loves them any way. Also, can Data taste? Luckily for us all the a summoned to the bridge. While on their way to some planet or another they have detected a signal from a Federation shuttle, but there are no large ships in the area so it is a mystery where it could be from. When it is brought on board they find it is from the Enterprise and that it is also not missing from the Enterprise. (You would have thought they could have figured this out from a basic scan but whatever.) On the shuttle is an unconscious Picard!
Pulaski is unable to revive the second captain and Picard numero uno is understandable alarmed. Scans show the doppelganger is out of sync with their time which is confirmed when Geordi and Data retrieve the log from the shuttle which is from six hours in the future. Also on the log is video of the Enterprise being destroyed and Picard talking about how it is sad and that he left but not why. This sends uno Picard into a spiral of self doubt which is only made worse by the sudden appearance of the vortex seen in the log destroying the Enterprise. They try to warp away but are only drawn further into the vortex. A beam keeps shooting out and scanning both Picards and it looks like uno is going to leave in the shuttle but in fact he is going to sickbay.
Dos Picard is now awake and wants to go to the shuttle which Uno insists the doctor allow. When they get to the shuttle Uno demands to know what the other option that they didn't try was and when Dos tells him it is fly into the vortex Uno kills Dos with his phaser because, "there can be only one," and I guess to close the causality loop. They fly straight in and are back on course in no time. Even better the other shuttle and corpse of Dos disappear so I guess Uno gets to stay captain.
Review: This is a fun episode with serious character and serious scifi. It has more Pulaski than I prefer, but she is almost bearable in this one. Also any episode with Patrick Stewart talking with and then killing Patrick Stewart gets and least one bonus point from me.
8 out of 10
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
TNG: The Royale
This was by far my favorite early TNG episode as a kid. It had the mysterious door to nowhere, it had a dead astronaut in a very 2001 looking scene, and it has Data gambling in a cowboy hat, what isn't to love? Well, there are sadly some issues. The premise of aliens destroying a bunch of humans and making this construction to keep the survivor going is a bit silly. How they managed to recreate the locations and characters from this novel so completely but are unable to understand even the most basic things about humans is silly. Especially since they had to figure out how to make decades of food from nothing but the descriptions in a terrible novel.
The episode begins with the Enterprise investigating a report from a Klingon ship of rubble orbiting in the atmosphere of a planet. Lets just stop here and talk briefly about how poor the writers understanding of an orbit is. This debris is supposed to have been in place for at least a few hundred years, in orbit in the atmosphere. The best way to be sure something won't stay in orbit is to have it touch atmosphere even a little, let alone to be IN the atmosphere. But I digress, the beam a piece of debris over and it has a NASA logo on it! Further scans reveal a small area of the surface of the otherwise horribly hostile planet with a breathable air bubble and without the horrible winds on the rest of the planet. Riker beams down with Worf and Data and they find a featureless black void broken only by a revolving door with the letter R on the glass and light coming from "inside."
Riker decides to investigate and they go in and find a vibrant casino with gamblers and a manager who is eager to check them in. He recognizes them as the three foreigners he was expecting and gives them some chips along with their room key. Data goes and starts playing blackjack while Riker and Worf look around. They find they are no longer in contact with the bridge and when they try to leave they are back where they started. They ask the manager by he isn't helpful on the topic of leaving. There is also a subplot going on about the bellboy in a conflict with a gangster over a woman. Data detects human DNA in the floor above and when they investigate they find a dead astronaut. His diary explains he was there for 30 years before dying and that his crew was killed by the aliens accidentally. They made the casino from a novel on the spacecraft that Worf finds in a drawer.
Data scans the novel and they start trying to find a way out of there. On the Enterprise Picard is trying everything he can including reading the novel. The plot with the gangster plays out in front of them with the bellboy getting shot and the gangster leaving through the front door. Riker asks Picard how the gangster did it and Picard answers that it was in the book. Riker figures out that they are the foreign investors who buy the casino and leave in the novel and decides they need to play their part. Data breaks the bank at the craps table and they by the place and get the hell out of there.
Review: This wasn't quite the tour de force that I remembered, but it is still a lot of fun to watch. So many TNG episodes take place entirely on the bridge that having some change of scenery was really nice. I suppose this could have been a TOS episode and worked just about as well, but it would have gotten a decent rating there as well.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with the Enterprise investigating a report from a Klingon ship of rubble orbiting in the atmosphere of a planet. Lets just stop here and talk briefly about how poor the writers understanding of an orbit is. This debris is supposed to have been in place for at least a few hundred years, in orbit in the atmosphere. The best way to be sure something won't stay in orbit is to have it touch atmosphere even a little, let alone to be IN the atmosphere. But I digress, the beam a piece of debris over and it has a NASA logo on it! Further scans reveal a small area of the surface of the otherwise horribly hostile planet with a breathable air bubble and without the horrible winds on the rest of the planet. Riker beams down with Worf and Data and they find a featureless black void broken only by a revolving door with the letter R on the glass and light coming from "inside."
Riker decides to investigate and they go in and find a vibrant casino with gamblers and a manager who is eager to check them in. He recognizes them as the three foreigners he was expecting and gives them some chips along with their room key. Data goes and starts playing blackjack while Riker and Worf look around. They find they are no longer in contact with the bridge and when they try to leave they are back where they started. They ask the manager by he isn't helpful on the topic of leaving. There is also a subplot going on about the bellboy in a conflict with a gangster over a woman. Data detects human DNA in the floor above and when they investigate they find a dead astronaut. His diary explains he was there for 30 years before dying and that his crew was killed by the aliens accidentally. They made the casino from a novel on the spacecraft that Worf finds in a drawer.
Data scans the novel and they start trying to find a way out of there. On the Enterprise Picard is trying everything he can including reading the novel. The plot with the gangster plays out in front of them with the bellboy getting shot and the gangster leaving through the front door. Riker asks Picard how the gangster did it and Picard answers that it was in the book. Riker figures out that they are the foreign investors who buy the casino and leave in the novel and decides they need to play their part. Data breaks the bank at the craps table and they by the place and get the hell out of there.
Review: This wasn't quite the tour de force that I remembered, but it is still a lot of fun to watch. So many TNG episodes take place entirely on the bridge that having some change of scenery was really nice. I suppose this could have been a TOS episode and worked just about as well, but it would have gotten a decent rating there as well.
7 out of 10
Monday, July 6, 2015
TNG: Contagion
The opening scene of the Yamato exploding right in front of them with all hands aboard is a pretty shocking and effective way to draw you into an episode. This is by far the largest loss of life shown directly on screen of any Trek episode so far. Having the cause of the problem be a lost ancient civilization with knowledge far beyond our own seems not just very TOS but very 60's as well. Even still the tension stays high enough to keep things interesting until it is revealed that the solution to all their problems is turning things off and then on again. I know it is slightly more complicated than that, but not much honestly. The Trek writers have always been better at writing the crews into crisis situations than getting them out.
As mentioned above the episode opens with the Enterprise finding the Yamato in the neutral zone suffering massive system failures. The captain tells Picard that he found the Iconian home world but before he can do much more his ship explodes killing everyone. Just then a Romulan warbird approaches and the race is on to determine what caused the Yamato to explode. Picard manages to negotiate a truce while they investigate the Yamato. From the Yamato's logs Picard manages to determine that they visited the Iconian home world and gathered artifacts. Once they were scanned by a probe the ship started experiencing system failures leading to its ultimate destruction.
The Enterprise starts experiencing system failures across the ship and they race further into the neutral zone to visit the Iconian planet and figure out if it is behind all this. Things keep getting worse and just as they arrive Geordi spots another probe and hops in the turbolift to warn the bridge. But the turbolift tries to kill by accelerating wildly and he is eventually thrown onto the bridge just in time to destroy the probe. Picard decides to beam down to the surface even though that may have been what caused the other ship to be destroyed. The away team finds a machine capable of generating gateways to anywhere but as Data messed with it he is knocked out by a similar power surge to what the probe hit the Yamato with. Data is beamed back up by the captain remains behind for not entirely clear reasons.
In engineering Data appears to die, but his systems restart and slowly recover. This gives Geordi and idea and he reboots the Enterprise from the secure copy of its software and suddenly things are great again. Picard manages to use the gateway to get to the Romulan ship after setting it to self destruct and finds the Romulans have also set their ship to autodestruct. Picard orders the Enterprise to safety but not before Riker can send instructions to the Romulans to try and save themselves.
Review: This is an intense episode whose only major flaw is a far too simple solution, but give a lot of the rest of this season I think this still qualifies as slightly above average. Wesley is only in it to be sad about all the people dying and Pulaski is mentioned by not shown.
6 out of 10
As mentioned above the episode opens with the Enterprise finding the Yamato in the neutral zone suffering massive system failures. The captain tells Picard that he found the Iconian home world but before he can do much more his ship explodes killing everyone. Just then a Romulan warbird approaches and the race is on to determine what caused the Yamato to explode. Picard manages to negotiate a truce while they investigate the Yamato. From the Yamato's logs Picard manages to determine that they visited the Iconian home world and gathered artifacts. Once they were scanned by a probe the ship started experiencing system failures leading to its ultimate destruction.
The Enterprise starts experiencing system failures across the ship and they race further into the neutral zone to visit the Iconian planet and figure out if it is behind all this. Things keep getting worse and just as they arrive Geordi spots another probe and hops in the turbolift to warn the bridge. But the turbolift tries to kill by accelerating wildly and he is eventually thrown onto the bridge just in time to destroy the probe. Picard decides to beam down to the surface even though that may have been what caused the other ship to be destroyed. The away team finds a machine capable of generating gateways to anywhere but as Data messed with it he is knocked out by a similar power surge to what the probe hit the Yamato with. Data is beamed back up by the captain remains behind for not entirely clear reasons.
In engineering Data appears to die, but his systems restart and slowly recover. This gives Geordi and idea and he reboots the Enterprise from the secure copy of its software and suddenly things are great again. Picard manages to use the gateway to get to the Romulan ship after setting it to self destruct and finds the Romulans have also set their ship to autodestruct. Picard orders the Enterprise to safety but not before Riker can send instructions to the Romulans to try and save themselves.
Review: This is an intense episode whose only major flaw is a far too simple solution, but give a lot of the rest of this season I think this still qualifies as slightly above average. Wesley is only in it to be sad about all the people dying and Pulaski is mentioned by not shown.
6 out of 10
Sunday, July 5, 2015
TNG: The Dauphin
The Dauphin is probably the best Wesley episode until the one with the accident at the academy in a few seasons. What I really mean by that is it is an only slightly above average episode. Seeing the advice Wesley gets from various members of the crew on how to court Salia is the best parts other than when Worf is flirting with the old lady shapeshifter. The complete lack of Pulaski is also a big plus for this episode.
The Enterprise has been assigned the job of transporting the future leader of Dalen IV from the isolated planet where she has been raised and trained for her duties. When the arrive they are only able to make voice contact with the Enterprise. Salia and her guardian Anya are beamed aboard and while on their way to their quarters encounter Wesley on an errand for Geordi. Salia recognized the component Wesley is carrying and they quickly fall for each other, but Anya isn't having any of it and insists they retire to quarters. Wesley goes to Worf for advice on trying to date Salia we get to hear about Klingon mating rituals for the first time which involve yelling, throwing things and love poetry. Not being satisfied with this advice Wesley goes to Riker next and instead gets to watch him flirt with Guinan for a while.
Meanwhile Anya is on a tour of the ship. They stop in sickbay and encounter a patient with a disease that could possibly make Salia sick so Anya transforms into some huge monster and his to be stopped from killing the patient. Meanwhile Wesley has gone by Salia's quarters and finding her alone takes her on a date through the ship. They go to the holodeck and end up in Ten Forward. The conversation doesn't go well and Salia storms off but Wesley follows at Guinan's advice. Just after they run into each other Picard shows up with Anya and Salia has to leave with her guardian.
Picard tells Wesley to leave Salia alone but she comes to his quarters. Anya shows up and there is a shapeshifter showdown but fortunately security shows up and calms things down. They arrive at Dalen IV and Anya says good bye to Salia (before she has actually transported down which makes no sense given her previous actions but whatever). Salia goes to Wesley but he is too busy sulking. Just before she beams down to her life of isolation Wesley arrives and there is a heartfelt good bye before she transforms into an energy cloud and beams to the surface. Riker gives Wes a knowing grin and we cut to credits.
Review: I know I hated this one as an 8 year old boy, but it has improved a bit with age. Having to watch Wesley pout isn't the best, but overall the episode works. The aliens are sufficiently alien which is an nice bonus as well.
6 out of 10
The Enterprise has been assigned the job of transporting the future leader of Dalen IV from the isolated planet where she has been raised and trained for her duties. When the arrive they are only able to make voice contact with the Enterprise. Salia and her guardian Anya are beamed aboard and while on their way to their quarters encounter Wesley on an errand for Geordi. Salia recognized the component Wesley is carrying and they quickly fall for each other, but Anya isn't having any of it and insists they retire to quarters. Wesley goes to Worf for advice on trying to date Salia we get to hear about Klingon mating rituals for the first time which involve yelling, throwing things and love poetry. Not being satisfied with this advice Wesley goes to Riker next and instead gets to watch him flirt with Guinan for a while.
Meanwhile Anya is on a tour of the ship. They stop in sickbay and encounter a patient with a disease that could possibly make Salia sick so Anya transforms into some huge monster and his to be stopped from killing the patient. Meanwhile Wesley has gone by Salia's quarters and finding her alone takes her on a date through the ship. They go to the holodeck and end up in Ten Forward. The conversation doesn't go well and Salia storms off but Wesley follows at Guinan's advice. Just after they run into each other Picard shows up with Anya and Salia has to leave with her guardian.
Picard tells Wesley to leave Salia alone but she comes to his quarters. Anya shows up and there is a shapeshifter showdown but fortunately security shows up and calms things down. They arrive at Dalen IV and Anya says good bye to Salia (before she has actually transported down which makes no sense given her previous actions but whatever). Salia goes to Wesley but he is too busy sulking. Just before she beams down to her life of isolation Wesley arrives and there is a heartfelt good bye before she transforms into an energy cloud and beams to the surface. Riker gives Wes a knowing grin and we cut to credits.
Review: I know I hated this one as an 8 year old boy, but it has improved a bit with age. Having to watch Wesley pout isn't the best, but overall the episode works. The aliens are sufficiently alien which is an nice bonus as well.
6 out of 10
Saturday, July 4, 2015
TNG: The Measure of a Man
The Measure of a Man is the best early TNG episode by a good margin. It shows the depth of the characters that the show developed and the more mature look into moral issues. The opening poker game would turn into a regular feature to the point that the final scene in the series is the crew playing poker together as the camera pans out into space. The sad part of this episode is that captain Louvois never returned. While Riker seems to enjoy Kirklike relations with women across the galaxy the more mature Picard is well paired with the highly competent and self assured Louvois. Her role both as his ex and as the judge in the episode are both exemplary.
The episode opens with the crew playing poker in Rikers quarters and for once Pulaski seems to be right about Data as he is unable to see through a bluff and loses most of his chips quickly. We then find Picard on starbase 173 catching up with his old lover and rival captain Louvois. Admiral Nakamura shows up with the villain of the episode commander Maddox who intends to experiment on Data in a way which will destroy his consciousness. Back on the ship Maddox explains his plan to Data who refuses to participate so Maddox hands him an order of transfer to his command. Picard is so shaken he goes to Louvois for advise on fighting the order and she explains the order can't be stopped, but Data can resign.
Maddox shows up without permission in Data's quarters and tries to convince him, but is ineffective. Maddox then tells Louvois that Data can't resign as he is property of Starfleet and after review she agrees. Picard challenges the ruling and she agrees to a hearing, however since he is second in command to Data Riker must act as prosecutor. He is doesn't want to do it, but she gives him little choice. The hearing is on and after Riker demonstrates Data to clearly be a machine Picard is a little shaken and calls for a recess. While the hearing is in recess Picard has a talk with Guinan about it and she points out that if Starfleet ends up with an army of Data's who are all property they will have made an army of slaves.
Back at the hearing Picard starts hitting hard. Starting by going through what Data packed when he was planning to leave Starfleet. Included is a hologram of Tasha Yar who Data explains was very important to him. Picard then goes through Maddox's list of what it takes to be conscious and Data clearly fits all the criteria. He ends with the point about how if they make more Data's and they are property it will be the most immoral thing Starfleet has basically ever done. Louvois rules in Data's favor and the episode wraps with Picard asking her out to dinner.
Review: I didn't do justice to the to depth of the arguments in this episode which if you haven't seen I can't recommend enough. Pulaski is a bit annoying at the beginning by they wisely never cut back to her to show how much she has had an attitude like slaver in chief Maddox for pretty much this entire season. This episode really serves to show how obnoxious and outright racist she has been. I can't imagine why the audience never accepted her.
10 out of 10
The episode opens with the crew playing poker in Rikers quarters and for once Pulaski seems to be right about Data as he is unable to see through a bluff and loses most of his chips quickly. We then find Picard on starbase 173 catching up with his old lover and rival captain Louvois. Admiral Nakamura shows up with the villain of the episode commander Maddox who intends to experiment on Data in a way which will destroy his consciousness. Back on the ship Maddox explains his plan to Data who refuses to participate so Maddox hands him an order of transfer to his command. Picard is so shaken he goes to Louvois for advise on fighting the order and she explains the order can't be stopped, but Data can resign.
Maddox shows up without permission in Data's quarters and tries to convince him, but is ineffective. Maddox then tells Louvois that Data can't resign as he is property of Starfleet and after review she agrees. Picard challenges the ruling and she agrees to a hearing, however since he is second in command to Data Riker must act as prosecutor. He is doesn't want to do it, but she gives him little choice. The hearing is on and after Riker demonstrates Data to clearly be a machine Picard is a little shaken and calls for a recess. While the hearing is in recess Picard has a talk with Guinan about it and she points out that if Starfleet ends up with an army of Data's who are all property they will have made an army of slaves.
Back at the hearing Picard starts hitting hard. Starting by going through what Data packed when he was planning to leave Starfleet. Included is a hologram of Tasha Yar who Data explains was very important to him. Picard then goes through Maddox's list of what it takes to be conscious and Data clearly fits all the criteria. He ends with the point about how if they make more Data's and they are property it will be the most immoral thing Starfleet has basically ever done. Louvois rules in Data's favor and the episode wraps with Picard asking her out to dinner.
Review: I didn't do justice to the to depth of the arguments in this episode which if you haven't seen I can't recommend enough. Pulaski is a bit annoying at the beginning by they wisely never cut back to her to show how much she has had an attitude like slaver in chief Maddox for pretty much this entire season. This episode really serves to show how obnoxious and outright racist she has been. I can't imagine why the audience never accepted her.
10 out of 10
Friday, July 3, 2015
TNG: A Matter of Honor
I may have been wrong about season 2 being the consistently worst season of Trek. I hope I am not wrong that it contains several of the all time worst episodes, but it also has some of the best. If anyone can point to a better Riker episode I will buy you a drink because this is the best I have ever seen him. Riker is one of those characters who can flounder around and just do his job most of the time, but when the time comes he will rise to the occasion and exceed expectations. It is episodes like this that show why he deserves the job of first officer on the Federation flagship.
The Enterprise is stopped at a starbase to pick up some exchange officers. One of them is a Benzite named Mendon who looks like the Benzite Wesley met while trying to join the academy, but this one is WAY more annoying. While relaxing at the phaser range with the captain the topic of officer exchange comes up again when Picard asks Riker if he would be interested in being the first ever Federation officer to serve aboard a Klingon ship. Riker is eager to give it a shot since no one has has ever done it before. Riker starts studying for the job by horrifying Pulaski by eating Klingon food and learned that it is his job to kill the captain of the Klingon ship if necessary from Worf. Worf also gives him an emergency transponder just in case.
On the bridge Mendon is pissing everybody off by telling them that he could do their job better than them and generally being a pain in the ass. Worf detects something decaying the hull of the Enterprise but of course Mendon detected it both on the Enterprise and the Klingon ship but didn't bother telling anybody. On the Klingon ship Riker is getting along fine eating live Klingon food and joking about Klingon three ways which is definitely helping him fit in. The captain doesn't trust that he will serve the Klingon ship if there is a conflict with the Enterprise which is quickly tested when the Klingons also detect that their ship is being torn apart by the space bacteria. The Klingon captain assumes the bacteria is an attack by the Enterprise and tries to get Riker to tell them how to best attack, but he refuses which actually impresses them more than pisses them off.
Back on the Enterprise Mendon figures out a way to destroy the bacteria and Picard starts transmitting that message as they look for the Klingon ship. The Klingons are cloaked and preparing to attack the Enterprise. The Klingon captain orders Riker to command the attack and Riker gets them good and close before handing the transponder to the captain. Worf detects it and beams the captain to the Enterprise leaving Riker in command of the Klingon ship. The decloak and demand the Enterprise surrender which of course Picard is happy to do. After a good slap to the face Riker is thrown off the Klingon ship, but he is pleased as punch with himself.
Review: The parts where Riker is on the Klingon ship are both great for Riker and also start establishing better the Klingons are they are portrayed from TNG onward. No longer are they a race of pure savages, instead the obsession with honor is taking over and that is a good thing in my opinion. Even the Benzite subplot pays off pretty well and Pulaski's only job is to grimace as Riker eats which is fantastic.
8 out of 10
The Enterprise is stopped at a starbase to pick up some exchange officers. One of them is a Benzite named Mendon who looks like the Benzite Wesley met while trying to join the academy, but this one is WAY more annoying. While relaxing at the phaser range with the captain the topic of officer exchange comes up again when Picard asks Riker if he would be interested in being the first ever Federation officer to serve aboard a Klingon ship. Riker is eager to give it a shot since no one has has ever done it before. Riker starts studying for the job by horrifying Pulaski by eating Klingon food and learned that it is his job to kill the captain of the Klingon ship if necessary from Worf. Worf also gives him an emergency transponder just in case.
On the bridge Mendon is pissing everybody off by telling them that he could do their job better than them and generally being a pain in the ass. Worf detects something decaying the hull of the Enterprise but of course Mendon detected it both on the Enterprise and the Klingon ship but didn't bother telling anybody. On the Klingon ship Riker is getting along fine eating live Klingon food and joking about Klingon three ways which is definitely helping him fit in. The captain doesn't trust that he will serve the Klingon ship if there is a conflict with the Enterprise which is quickly tested when the Klingons also detect that their ship is being torn apart by the space bacteria. The Klingon captain assumes the bacteria is an attack by the Enterprise and tries to get Riker to tell them how to best attack, but he refuses which actually impresses them more than pisses them off.
Back on the Enterprise Mendon figures out a way to destroy the bacteria and Picard starts transmitting that message as they look for the Klingon ship. The Klingons are cloaked and preparing to attack the Enterprise. The Klingon captain orders Riker to command the attack and Riker gets them good and close before handing the transponder to the captain. Worf detects it and beams the captain to the Enterprise leaving Riker in command of the Klingon ship. The decloak and demand the Enterprise surrender which of course Picard is happy to do. After a good slap to the face Riker is thrown off the Klingon ship, but he is pleased as punch with himself.
Review: The parts where Riker is on the Klingon ship are both great for Riker and also start establishing better the Klingons are they are portrayed from TNG onward. No longer are they a race of pure savages, instead the obsession with honor is taking over and that is a good thing in my opinion. Even the Benzite subplot pays off pretty well and Pulaski's only job is to grimace as Riker eats which is fantastic.
8 out of 10
Thursday, July 2, 2015
TNG: Unnatural Selection
I think this is supposed to be the episode that convinces the audience we were wrong about Pulaski and that she is actually a good doctor who care for people. Too bad it did exactly the opposite. She risks all their lives and should have died without some technomagic from O'Brien to save the day at the last minute. Also is also hella rude to Data for no reason again. She does finally express confidence in him, but only to work as a very fast computer which falls pretty well within how she has treated him before. Also, Trek really hates genetically manipulated people, these ones are so bad their immune systems kill any normal person they are near!
We begin with the Enterprise receiving a distress signal from a Federation vessel. The message is garbled and when they arrive they get no reply to their hale. They use a neat trick to remotely turn on the view screen on the other ship and all the crew are dead. Pulaski is such a greeeeat doctor that just by looking at them she can determine they died of natural causes, which is obviously dumb. Picard even has a talk with Troi at the very beginning where he talks about not thinking Pulaski has what it takes to be ships doctor so I think this episode really is trying to convince us she is great and forget that other doctor. Too bad she is actually awful.
They head to the last place the ship had been, a Federation research facility. They find them rapidly aging as well, but the head of the station is only worried about her children. The children have been genetically modified to be both psychic and telekinetic and also have super immune systems. Pulaski for some reason thinks it is a great idea to beam one of the 12 year olds up to examine, but coated in plastic so it is cool. The child who beams up is clearly in his early 20's which causes Worf to have a mini freak out. Pulaski hasn't been risky enough yet so she insists on taking the kid out in a shuttle with Data since of course he couldn't be responsible. So they do and he wakes up, but to avoid paying him actual actor wages he only communicates with his mind. And of course Pulaski was wrong and she starts rapidly aging so they beam the kid back down to the surface and land the shuttle since she is now also quarantined.
While Pulaksi is down explaining that the kids actually are the problem to the stupid head of the research station Data figures out that the kids immune systems reacted to a virus someone of the doomed ship brought and sent out antibodies that changed everyones DNA so they get old???? Even better they program the transporter with some of Pulaski's hair and O'Brien gets a good role in the sad job of saving the bad doctor. All the staff are saved in the end but the kids are doomed to live in isolation until they die or rebel and destroy the galaxy. The Enterprise blows up the doomed ship before rolling credits.
Review: All the scientists in this episode including Pulaski are idiots. Also why do they keep creating races of supermen? Do they really think that since they realized they fucked up they can now contain a colony of telekinetic supermen with aggressive murderous immune systems? Also, at least one point of for so much Pulaski awfulness including Data bashing.
3 out of 10
We begin with the Enterprise receiving a distress signal from a Federation vessel. The message is garbled and when they arrive they get no reply to their hale. They use a neat trick to remotely turn on the view screen on the other ship and all the crew are dead. Pulaski is such a greeeeat doctor that just by looking at them she can determine they died of natural causes, which is obviously dumb. Picard even has a talk with Troi at the very beginning where he talks about not thinking Pulaski has what it takes to be ships doctor so I think this episode really is trying to convince us she is great and forget that other doctor. Too bad she is actually awful.
They head to the last place the ship had been, a Federation research facility. They find them rapidly aging as well, but the head of the station is only worried about her children. The children have been genetically modified to be both psychic and telekinetic and also have super immune systems. Pulaski for some reason thinks it is a great idea to beam one of the 12 year olds up to examine, but coated in plastic so it is cool. The child who beams up is clearly in his early 20's which causes Worf to have a mini freak out. Pulaski hasn't been risky enough yet so she insists on taking the kid out in a shuttle with Data since of course he couldn't be responsible. So they do and he wakes up, but to avoid paying him actual actor wages he only communicates with his mind. And of course Pulaski was wrong and she starts rapidly aging so they beam the kid back down to the surface and land the shuttle since she is now also quarantined.
While Pulaksi is down explaining that the kids actually are the problem to the stupid head of the research station Data figures out that the kids immune systems reacted to a virus someone of the doomed ship brought and sent out antibodies that changed everyones DNA so they get old???? Even better they program the transporter with some of Pulaski's hair and O'Brien gets a good role in the sad job of saving the bad doctor. All the staff are saved in the end but the kids are doomed to live in isolation until they die or rebel and destroy the galaxy. The Enterprise blows up the doomed ship before rolling credits.
Review: All the scientists in this episode including Pulaski are idiots. Also why do they keep creating races of supermen? Do they really think that since they realized they fucked up they can now contain a colony of telekinetic supermen with aggressive murderous immune systems? Also, at least one point of for so much Pulaski awfulness including Data bashing.
3 out of 10
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