Last nights episode (technically the second for that day, the joys of falling behind by a day) featured a hero who was both creepy and a bit annoying. Today's episode has a character with both those characteristics, but this time he is the villain. Today's villain is a classic super capitalist/egotist/collector who values his collection of rarities far more than life, well at least more than other peoples lives. There is a subplot about Geordi trying to figure out what really happened which never really pays off like it seems like it was intended to when they discover the cyanide poisoning was artificial, but whatever.
The episode begins with Data preparing to fly a shuttlecraft loaded with a dangerous cargo back to the Enterprise. The unstable unobtanium (they make up a different fake substance name, but it isn't much better) is needed to purify the water at a Federation colony and there is no other source for it within range. Just before departing Data is asked for a fingerprint to verify the transfer but it is a trap and the box knocks him out. On the way back to the Enterprise the shuttle (with the right proportions of materials to make up a fake Data) explodes for no apparent reason. The merchant seems sad, but of course Troi isn't on the bridge when you need her so they let him take off and head to the colony.
On the merchant ship Data awakens in a room filled with fine art. The merchant Fajo explains he is a collector of unique things and he has obtained Data for his collection. Data refuses to cooperate but escape seems impossible for the time. Back on the ship Geordi isn't taking the loss of Data well but nobody else seems to think his death was suspicious. Geordi keeps pushing and finds a problem with Data's communications with the ship but only Wesley seems to buy it. Data is busy pissing off Fajo and trying to convince his aide that she would be better off helping Data. Fajo makes this easier when he threatens to kill aide to convince Data and Data gives in and sits in the dumb chair.
The Enterprise arrives at the colony and discovers that the poisoning was a ploy. But the poison is so expensive there must be another reason. When they look into Fajo's history they find out he is a collector of rare objects and they put 2 and 2 together. Meanwhile the aide helps Data try and escape but Fajo catches them and kills her. Data is about to kill Fajo to stop his reign of terror but is transported back to the Enterprise just as he fires the weapon. Fajo is arrested and Data is back in action.
Review: There is a reason Data episodes are generally well thought of. The combination of Brent's acting and interesting writing makes this a somewhat disturbing but also thought provoking episode.
7 out of 10
Monday, August 17, 2015
Sunday, August 16, 2015
TNG: Hollow Pursuits
I think this attempt at a story about the people on the decks below the bridge would have worked a little better if they hadn't made Barclay so unlikable. Lets be honest, most people are going to be justifiably pissed off if you make holographic copies of them to have sex with. This was illegal by the time DS9 came around, but I guess the writers hadn't really thought it out in TNG. Also, being chronically late in a military organization like Starfleet (I can hear Gene rolling over in his grave) being late all the time is a serious problem. But at the same time I feel like we have all gone to our boss about something like this only to be told to work in out like Picard does so I guess I can't be too upset.
The episode opens with Barclay in Ten Forward getting into a fight with Geordi and Riker and then making out with Troi. But of course this is just a holodeck simulation, a creepy holodeck simulation. He is interrupted by Geordi asking where he is since he is supposed to be on duty. He arrives in the cargo bay to find that one of the anti-grav carts has broken and the containment vessel it was carrying has broken open. Barkley is assigned to fix it and Geordi discusses his dissatisfaction over Barclay with Riker. Barclay claims to have fixed it, but it fails again breaking another containment vessel. Hopefully it wasn't anything important or dangerous...
Geordi and Riker go to the captain to talk about transferring Barclay to another ship, but Picard refuses to pass the buck and insists Geordi try harder. Geordi goes to Guinan to talk about Barclay and she isn't really very helpful other than describing him as creative. In an effort to reach out Geordi invites him to the engineering staff meeting which only seems to make Barclay more nervous. Geordi eventually finds Barclay in the holodeck playing a three musketeers simulation with all the parts played by members of the crew. Geordi says he will keep his secret for some reason. Things keep getting worse on the ship, a glass melts in Ten Forward, the transporter stops working and there are problems with the engines.
After an appointment with Troi that goes terribly Barclay fails to show up in the bridge so Riker, Troi and Geordi storm into the holodeck and are outraged to find simulations of themselves. But luckily for Barclay the gas pedal in the Enterprise sticks and he is the one who figures out that the problem started with the broken containment pod in act one (which actually makes no sense since it was the anti-grav unit failing that caused the containment vessel to break which is what they decide broke the anti-grav unit). He saves the day by injecting coolant into the engine and everybody forgives all the rest of his terrible behavior.
Review: This is probably the weakest episode so far this season. I am not really sure what they were going for by making Barclay so unlikable and then having the solution to the final crisis be for him to fix the thing he probably broke in the first place. Also his turning his back on the holodeck feels hollow since he doesn't actually delete all his programs.
3 out of 10
The episode opens with Barclay in Ten Forward getting into a fight with Geordi and Riker and then making out with Troi. But of course this is just a holodeck simulation, a creepy holodeck simulation. He is interrupted by Geordi asking where he is since he is supposed to be on duty. He arrives in the cargo bay to find that one of the anti-grav carts has broken and the containment vessel it was carrying has broken open. Barkley is assigned to fix it and Geordi discusses his dissatisfaction over Barclay with Riker. Barclay claims to have fixed it, but it fails again breaking another containment vessel. Hopefully it wasn't anything important or dangerous...
Geordi and Riker go to the captain to talk about transferring Barclay to another ship, but Picard refuses to pass the buck and insists Geordi try harder. Geordi goes to Guinan to talk about Barclay and she isn't really very helpful other than describing him as creative. In an effort to reach out Geordi invites him to the engineering staff meeting which only seems to make Barclay more nervous. Geordi eventually finds Barclay in the holodeck playing a three musketeers simulation with all the parts played by members of the crew. Geordi says he will keep his secret for some reason. Things keep getting worse on the ship, a glass melts in Ten Forward, the transporter stops working and there are problems with the engines.
After an appointment with Troi that goes terribly Barclay fails to show up in the bridge so Riker, Troi and Geordi storm into the holodeck and are outraged to find simulations of themselves. But luckily for Barclay the gas pedal in the Enterprise sticks and he is the one who figures out that the problem started with the broken containment pod in act one (which actually makes no sense since it was the anti-grav unit failing that caused the containment vessel to break which is what they decide broke the anti-grav unit). He saves the day by injecting coolant into the engine and everybody forgives all the rest of his terrible behavior.
Review: This is probably the weakest episode so far this season. I am not really sure what they were going for by making Barclay so unlikable and then having the solution to the final crisis be for him to fix the thing he probably broke in the first place. Also his turning his back on the holodeck feels hollow since he doesn't actually delete all his programs.
3 out of 10
TNG: Tin Man
Tin Man is one of the most scifi TNG episodes I have seen so far. The idea of a living ship was new to me when I originally watched this episode, but now having seen most of Farscape it doesn't seem quite so new. This episode also gives more background into Betazed psychic powers and how they generally manage to keep from going insane from them. I am guessing they named the creature Tin Man because it had lost its crew and therefore heart and need to get one or die from the loss. This suggests that whoever in Starfleet named the thing already knew the end of this episode, but whatever.
The episode begins with a surprise meeting with the USS Hood. It arrives bringing secret orders (although the information in them was clearly already compromised) and a passenger. The passenger is a first contact expert named Tam, although he is most famous it seems for a first contact mission that went wrong and got most of the team killed. He is a much more powerful than normal empath not exactly emotionally stable himself. Riker doesn't trust him knowing what happened previously and Dianna used to act as his therapist. The mission here is there for is to contact a living space ship that a probe encountered past the edge of explored space. They need to hurry since the Romulans are known to be on there way as well. The catch is Tin Man is orbiting a star which is about to explode so there won't be much time. The ship sets off at high warp but on the ship tensions are high as well.
The only one on the ship Tam seems to get along with is Data since he has no thoughts to transmit. The ship arrives but as they come out of warp a Romulan ship appears and shoots the Enterprise before racing towards Tin Man. When they are unable to contact it they prime their weapons but Tam warns Tin Man and it destroys the Romulan ship and badly damages the Enterprise. This is a problem both because there is another Romulan ship on the way but also the star is close to exploding. Tam decides to only option is for him to go over to Tin Man and Picard agrees if Data goes with him.
Upon arring Tam learns that Tin Man once had a crew who died long ago and that being alone it now wants to die. Data seems somewhat unimpressed that Tam now wants to join with Tin Man, but when the Romulans arrive and try to kill Tin Man it throws the other two ships away and transports Data back to the bridge of the Enterprise. Tam and Tin Man disappear never to be seen again.
Review: I guess my summary is a little short but that is because I am doing two today, not because I didn't like the episode. It was actually quite good and better than I remembered. For some reason I remembered Wesley going over to Tin Man and that being a problem, but luckily my memory was incorrect.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with a surprise meeting with the USS Hood. It arrives bringing secret orders (although the information in them was clearly already compromised) and a passenger. The passenger is a first contact expert named Tam, although he is most famous it seems for a first contact mission that went wrong and got most of the team killed. He is a much more powerful than normal empath not exactly emotionally stable himself. Riker doesn't trust him knowing what happened previously and Dianna used to act as his therapist. The mission here is there for is to contact a living space ship that a probe encountered past the edge of explored space. They need to hurry since the Romulans are known to be on there way as well. The catch is Tin Man is orbiting a star which is about to explode so there won't be much time. The ship sets off at high warp but on the ship tensions are high as well.
The only one on the ship Tam seems to get along with is Data since he has no thoughts to transmit. The ship arrives but as they come out of warp a Romulan ship appears and shoots the Enterprise before racing towards Tin Man. When they are unable to contact it they prime their weapons but Tam warns Tin Man and it destroys the Romulan ship and badly damages the Enterprise. This is a problem both because there is another Romulan ship on the way but also the star is close to exploding. Tam decides to only option is for him to go over to Tin Man and Picard agrees if Data goes with him.
Upon arring Tam learns that Tin Man once had a crew who died long ago and that being alone it now wants to die. Data seems somewhat unimpressed that Tam now wants to join with Tin Man, but when the Romulans arrive and try to kill Tin Man it throws the other two ships away and transports Data back to the bridge of the Enterprise. Tam and Tin Man disappear never to be seen again.
Review: I guess my summary is a little short but that is because I am doing two today, not because I didn't like the episode. It was actually quite good and better than I remembered. For some reason I remembered Wesley going over to Tin Man and that being a problem, but luckily my memory was incorrect.
7 out of 10
Friday, August 14, 2015
TNG: Captain's Holiday
This is another episode I remember fondly and it manages to hold up pretty well. I think it has been mentioned before but this episode does a lot to show the interest the captain has in archaeology. It also goes a fair way to establishing Risa as the sex planet of the galaxy. TOS had it's shore leave planet, but it was always a little more PG than what TNG gets away with in this one. I can't really argue with a Picardcentric episode other than maybe to complain that the part with him being grumpy goes on a little too long and cuts into the adventure part at the end.
The episode opens with two aliens materializing on Risa and asking the computer there where to find Picard. It says he isn't there and has no reservation, but one alien reassures the other, "he will come." With that we cut back to the Enterprise where Picard is returning from a tense two weeks of negotiations that he was successful at, but have left him stressed out. After resisting every suggestion he go on leave Picard finally relents when Troi mentions her mother will be joining them for the week at star base while the ship is repaired. That threat is too much and Picard agrees to a week on Risa.
When he arrives a mysterious woman sees him while trying to hide from a Ferengi and gives him a kiss when she needs some cover before running off. This starts Picard in a bad moon and it gets worse when he buys a idol Riker asked him for and the local women won't leave him alone until one of them explains it to him. Next the Ferengi from earlier threatens him if he doesn't give the Ferengi back some disk there will be trouble. And finally the mystery woman Vash shows up but Picard gives her the slip, but not before she can drop the mystery disk into his pocket. Back in his hotel room two mysterious aliens who claim to be from the future are hanging out. Picard is pissed at first, but then they explain they are here to find a mysterious McGuffin from the future and history records Picard as having found it on Risa. After they leave Picard finds the disk in his pocket.
Picard goes to Vash's room and finds her cleaning up a mess left behind when the Ferengi Sovak tried to find the disk. She explains she was the student of a professor who spent his life trying to find the McGuffin. Just before he died he discovered useful information on the location and it is on the disk. Picard agrees to help her find it and they set out, but not before Sovak tries to stop them, but of course Picard outsmarts him. After Vash tries to seduce Picard a few times they make their way to the cave that is supposed to have the McGuffin. First the aliens from the future arrive and then Sovak with a gun. After hours of digging they give up and return to the hotel dejected. Picard figures it out however and catches Vash as she is leaving the hotel. The aliens show up too and Vash explains they are the ones who tried to steal the information from her professor originally so Picard uses a made up transporter code (as far as i can tell) and destroys the McGuffin.
Review: This is more of an adventure episode than most this season, but it manages to succeed at that quite well. Picard is great as always and a plot involving aliens from the future is a cool way to keep things interesting!
7 out of 10
The episode opens with two aliens materializing on Risa and asking the computer there where to find Picard. It says he isn't there and has no reservation, but one alien reassures the other, "he will come." With that we cut back to the Enterprise where Picard is returning from a tense two weeks of negotiations that he was successful at, but have left him stressed out. After resisting every suggestion he go on leave Picard finally relents when Troi mentions her mother will be joining them for the week at star base while the ship is repaired. That threat is too much and Picard agrees to a week on Risa.
When he arrives a mysterious woman sees him while trying to hide from a Ferengi and gives him a kiss when she needs some cover before running off. This starts Picard in a bad moon and it gets worse when he buys a idol Riker asked him for and the local women won't leave him alone until one of them explains it to him. Next the Ferengi from earlier threatens him if he doesn't give the Ferengi back some disk there will be trouble. And finally the mystery woman Vash shows up but Picard gives her the slip, but not before she can drop the mystery disk into his pocket. Back in his hotel room two mysterious aliens who claim to be from the future are hanging out. Picard is pissed at first, but then they explain they are here to find a mysterious McGuffin from the future and history records Picard as having found it on Risa. After they leave Picard finds the disk in his pocket.
Picard goes to Vash's room and finds her cleaning up a mess left behind when the Ferengi Sovak tried to find the disk. She explains she was the student of a professor who spent his life trying to find the McGuffin. Just before he died he discovered useful information on the location and it is on the disk. Picard agrees to help her find it and they set out, but not before Sovak tries to stop them, but of course Picard outsmarts him. After Vash tries to seduce Picard a few times they make their way to the cave that is supposed to have the McGuffin. First the aliens from the future arrive and then Sovak with a gun. After hours of digging they give up and return to the hotel dejected. Picard figures it out however and catches Vash as she is leaving the hotel. The aliens show up too and Vash explains they are the ones who tried to steal the information from her professor originally so Picard uses a made up transporter code (as far as i can tell) and destroys the McGuffin.
Review: This is more of an adventure episode than most this season, but it manages to succeed at that quite well. Picard is great as always and a plot involving aliens from the future is a cool way to keep things interesting!
7 out of 10
Thursday, August 13, 2015
TNG: Allegiance
Unlike a few of the recent episodes I know I saw this one when it originally aired. I say this with some certainty because I definitely remembered who the traitor was in the group of prisoners Picard finds himself in. I was also able to see the exact moment when Picard figured it out, but didn't want to reveal it. I feel kinda bad saying this, but Allegiance could have been a TOS episode, but it wouldn't have been as smart. If this was Kirk instead of Picard he would have found a way to get out and defeat his captors in fisticuffs, not by forcing them to end the experiment. Also I kinda think maybe Picard shouldn't have let his kidnappers go at the end of the episode, but I am no expert is space law.
The episode begins with Picard reading and listening to some soothing music in his quarters. The camera changes to an odd low angle from the side shot as he falls asleep. The low angle shows a purple slab of energy appearing over him and then he disappears. On the bridge Worf notices the energy surge in the captains quarters and rushes there with a security team, but when he arrive the captain greets him at the door, but something doesn't feel right. The real Picard awakens in a holding cell of some sort with two other prisoners, a grey dude named Tholl and a Bolian Starfleet cadet named Haro. Tholl has been there for at least 10 days and Haro at least 3. There is a column in the middle of the room that has disks of gelatin in it for nutrition.
Back on the Enterprise the impostor Picard is acting strange. Instead of meeting with the USS Hood as they are scheduled to he has the ship slowly fly to a pulsar. He shows up at the officers poker game and tells Geordi to work on getting the engines more efficient and then asks Troi in the crew really trust him. Later in Ten Forward he asks Geordi and Worf if they are with him before buying a round of Ale for the whole bar. That may not be super odd, but he then leads the whole place in a rousing drinking song from his Academy days. Riker calls a meeting of the senior staff to discuss the situation. He doesn't call for mutiny, but asks them all to watch for behavior that might endanger the ship or crew.
Back in the cell a vicious alien named Esoqq appears in the fourth bed and immediately tries to start a fight, But Picard is such a badass he manages to talk him down by showing he understands his culture. Tholl turns out to be the opposite of Esoqq, a total pacifist who wouldn't even fight to keep his planet from being invaded. Over Tholls objections Picard gets the other to try and escape and the Bolian cadet manages to open the door, but behind it is a blank wall of metal, it was a trick. It is then that Picard realizes they aren't prisoners, they are test subjects and tricks the Bolian into revealing information no cadet would ever have. She admits to being an alien and transforms into two of them and call off the experiment. And just in time, back on the Enterprise the impostor Picard tries to destroy the ship by flying too close to the pulsar. Riker relieves him of command, but it is extremely tense until the real Picard shows up and gets rid of the impostor. He briefly imprisons the aliens who took him captive to teach them a lesson before telling them to get his ship.
Review: A cool episode about how much the crew trust the captain and at the same time about why he is in fact such an awesome person totally deserving their trust. Not the most groundbreaking, but a solid episode.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with Picard reading and listening to some soothing music in his quarters. The camera changes to an odd low angle from the side shot as he falls asleep. The low angle shows a purple slab of energy appearing over him and then he disappears. On the bridge Worf notices the energy surge in the captains quarters and rushes there with a security team, but when he arrive the captain greets him at the door, but something doesn't feel right. The real Picard awakens in a holding cell of some sort with two other prisoners, a grey dude named Tholl and a Bolian Starfleet cadet named Haro. Tholl has been there for at least 10 days and Haro at least 3. There is a column in the middle of the room that has disks of gelatin in it for nutrition.
Back on the Enterprise the impostor Picard is acting strange. Instead of meeting with the USS Hood as they are scheduled to he has the ship slowly fly to a pulsar. He shows up at the officers poker game and tells Geordi to work on getting the engines more efficient and then asks Troi in the crew really trust him. Later in Ten Forward he asks Geordi and Worf if they are with him before buying a round of Ale for the whole bar. That may not be super odd, but he then leads the whole place in a rousing drinking song from his Academy days. Riker calls a meeting of the senior staff to discuss the situation. He doesn't call for mutiny, but asks them all to watch for behavior that might endanger the ship or crew.
Back in the cell a vicious alien named Esoqq appears in the fourth bed and immediately tries to start a fight, But Picard is such a badass he manages to talk him down by showing he understands his culture. Tholl turns out to be the opposite of Esoqq, a total pacifist who wouldn't even fight to keep his planet from being invaded. Over Tholls objections Picard gets the other to try and escape and the Bolian cadet manages to open the door, but behind it is a blank wall of metal, it was a trick. It is then that Picard realizes they aren't prisoners, they are test subjects and tricks the Bolian into revealing information no cadet would ever have. She admits to being an alien and transforms into two of them and call off the experiment. And just in time, back on the Enterprise the impostor Picard tries to destroy the ship by flying too close to the pulsar. Riker relieves him of command, but it is extremely tense until the real Picard shows up and gets rid of the impostor. He briefly imprisons the aliens who took him captive to teach them a lesson before telling them to get his ship.
Review: A cool episode about how much the crew trust the captain and at the same time about why he is in fact such an awesome person totally deserving their trust. Not the most groundbreaking, but a solid episode.
7 out of 10
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
TNG: Sins of the Father
TOS really only had one alien race with an actual culture and that was the Vulcans. Sins of the Father is TNG starting to expand the culture of the Klingons and this episode is a big part of that. As far as I can tell this is the episode that introduced the Klingon high council and Klingon politics in general and it does a really good job of it. It also finally digs a bit deeper into Worf showing him to be both a true Klingon and what it means for him to be a true Klingon. I think it is a safe assumption that the Klingon obsession with honor is based on the Japanese samurai and this new direction makes the Klingon empire both more interesting and potentially more dangerous, even as an ally.
The episode begins with Klingon commander Kurn reporting for duty as part of the officer exchange program Riker participated in last season. This time a Klingon first officer will serve as first officer aboard the Enterprise and it looks like it is going to be a rough ride. Kurn can't stop barking at Wesley (can't really fault him there), makes life hell for Geordi by inspecting engineering in the middle of maintenance and generally seems ready to start a fight with Riker at all times. They have a dinner in his honor and Kurn can barely eat the food. He also continuously insults Worf by suggesting he is not a real Klingon. Worf finally confronts Kurn in his quarters and just as Worf is about to start a fight with him Kurn calms things down by admitting Worf really is a Klingon at heart, and not only that, Kurn is Worf's younger brother.
Kurn has sought out Worf because their father, Mogh, has been accused of giving the defense codes to the Romulans allowing the Khitomer massacre to take place. Worf has no choice but to return to the Klingon homeworld and convince the High Council of his fathers innocence or face execution if he fails. Picard insists on taking the Enterprise there and standing with Worf at the trial. Kurn becomes Worf's Cha'Dich, a second who will fight for him in the trial if necessary. They arrive and are greeted coldly by the council. At the first intermission the head of the council pulls Worf aside and tells him to leave and the procedure will be dropped, Worf of course refuses. Meanwhile Duras meets with Kurn and tries to kill him when he refuses to give up as well. Kurn is badly hurt by Dr. Crusher manages to save his life. Now Picard must serve as Cha'Dich to Worf.
While the trial continues Riker leads an effort to uncover the truth about the massacre and discovers that there was another survivor, the woman who took care of Worf, and not only that, she is living in the Capital. Picard gets an intermission and goes to find her. At first she refuses to help by finally after Picard is ambushed outside her house she agrees to help. As soon as she walks into the trial the head of the council recognizes her and calls for a closed session. In private he admits that Mogh was innocent and that it was Duras' father who was the traitor, but Duras is part of a powerful family and such an admission would destroy the council and plunge them into civil war. Picard refuses to let them execute Worf when they know the charges are false, but Worf agrees to be disgraced if it will save the Empire and they will spare Kurn's life. The council agrees and Worf leaves both the hero and a disgrace.
Review: Season 3 really delivers on solid episodes and this one is no exception. Patrick Stewart delivers a powerful performance and Michael Dorn is great as well. This is an episode they are proud to reference over and over as Trek continues to expand the roll of the Klingons.
8 out of 10
The episode begins with Klingon commander Kurn reporting for duty as part of the officer exchange program Riker participated in last season. This time a Klingon first officer will serve as first officer aboard the Enterprise and it looks like it is going to be a rough ride. Kurn can't stop barking at Wesley (can't really fault him there), makes life hell for Geordi by inspecting engineering in the middle of maintenance and generally seems ready to start a fight with Riker at all times. They have a dinner in his honor and Kurn can barely eat the food. He also continuously insults Worf by suggesting he is not a real Klingon. Worf finally confronts Kurn in his quarters and just as Worf is about to start a fight with him Kurn calms things down by admitting Worf really is a Klingon at heart, and not only that, Kurn is Worf's younger brother.
Kurn has sought out Worf because their father, Mogh, has been accused of giving the defense codes to the Romulans allowing the Khitomer massacre to take place. Worf has no choice but to return to the Klingon homeworld and convince the High Council of his fathers innocence or face execution if he fails. Picard insists on taking the Enterprise there and standing with Worf at the trial. Kurn becomes Worf's Cha'Dich, a second who will fight for him in the trial if necessary. They arrive and are greeted coldly by the council. At the first intermission the head of the council pulls Worf aside and tells him to leave and the procedure will be dropped, Worf of course refuses. Meanwhile Duras meets with Kurn and tries to kill him when he refuses to give up as well. Kurn is badly hurt by Dr. Crusher manages to save his life. Now Picard must serve as Cha'Dich to Worf.
While the trial continues Riker leads an effort to uncover the truth about the massacre and discovers that there was another survivor, the woman who took care of Worf, and not only that, she is living in the Capital. Picard gets an intermission and goes to find her. At first she refuses to help by finally after Picard is ambushed outside her house she agrees to help. As soon as she walks into the trial the head of the council recognizes her and calls for a closed session. In private he admits that Mogh was innocent and that it was Duras' father who was the traitor, but Duras is part of a powerful family and such an admission would destroy the council and plunge them into civil war. Picard refuses to let them execute Worf when they know the charges are false, but Worf agrees to be disgraced if it will save the Empire and they will spare Kurn's life. The council agrees and Worf leaves both the hero and a disgrace.
Review: Season 3 really delivers on solid episodes and this one is no exception. Patrick Stewart delivers a powerful performance and Michael Dorn is great as well. This is an episode they are proud to reference over and over as Trek continues to expand the roll of the Klingons.
8 out of 10
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
TNG: The Offspring
This is an episode I remember finding annoying as a kid, but as I have grown older and gotten to watch kids grow up I think I get it better than I used to. Also since the gap was originally much wider I didn't get the references to Measure of a Man that Picard makes when negotiating with the Admiral trying to take Lal away from Data. Also the scenes of Lal interacting with people in Ten Forward make more sense, but I actually kinda agree with the Admiral that maybe working as a cocktail waitress is a bit of a waste of her talents. At the same time I can't think of someone better than Guinan to patiently guide someone into humanity.
The episode begins with Wesley, Troi and Geordi making their way to the cybernetics lab. Ever since some big conference Data has been spending all his off duty time there with the door locked and they are all wondering what he has been up to. When they come in Data greets them and introduces them to Lal, his android child. At the conference Data learned about a breakthrough in positronic brain construction that has allowed him to copy his programming into Lal's brain to get it to function as he does. And I say it because Data created Lal without gender or features of a specific race with the intention of allowing Lal to pick it's own appearance. Captain Picard is offended Data didn't ask him before creating a new android but Data correctly explains none of the other crew consult the captain before procreating. And he is right, but so is the captain, Starfleet command is very interested in Lal and the admiral in charge of cybernetics research wants to transfer Lal to his custody.
Meanwhile Data and Deanna take Lal to the holodeck to pick an appearance and gender, Lal decides to become a human female and Troi fully approves. However even with a more human appearance Lal is having a hard time fitting in. The kids in school either laugh at her or ignore her and she has a hard time with not being able to fully be human. Data decides that working with Guinan might be a good way to learn about humans and Guinan proves to be a good teacher. There is a funny scene where Lal watches to people kissing in Ten Forward and then grabs Riker as he walks in for a drink and kisses him, just as Data walks in to demand what Riker's intentions are towards his daughter. During the same interation Data observes Lal using a contraction, something his program has never mastered.
But there are bigger problems, the Admiral rendezvous with the Enterprise and after observing Lal and interviewing her still insists that she be transferred to him. This causes Lal to have an emotional breakdown and I do mean breakdown because the experience of emotions starts a breakdown in her neural pathways. At this point the Admiral seems to get it and agrees to help Data try to save Lal, but it is too late. Lal suffers a total neural breakdown and Data is forced to deactivate her. But not before transferring her memories to himself so she can live on inside of him.
Review: Not as hard hitting as Measure of a Man, but a good look into what the consequences of creating artificial life might be like. I really appreciate that the admiral is willing to see things Data's way in the end, it often seems like Starfleet command are so terrible at their jobs the Enterprise should just go start it's own Federation.
7 out of 10
The episode begins with Wesley, Troi and Geordi making their way to the cybernetics lab. Ever since some big conference Data has been spending all his off duty time there with the door locked and they are all wondering what he has been up to. When they come in Data greets them and introduces them to Lal, his android child. At the conference Data learned about a breakthrough in positronic brain construction that has allowed him to copy his programming into Lal's brain to get it to function as he does. And I say it because Data created Lal without gender or features of a specific race with the intention of allowing Lal to pick it's own appearance. Captain Picard is offended Data didn't ask him before creating a new android but Data correctly explains none of the other crew consult the captain before procreating. And he is right, but so is the captain, Starfleet command is very interested in Lal and the admiral in charge of cybernetics research wants to transfer Lal to his custody.
Meanwhile Data and Deanna take Lal to the holodeck to pick an appearance and gender, Lal decides to become a human female and Troi fully approves. However even with a more human appearance Lal is having a hard time fitting in. The kids in school either laugh at her or ignore her and she has a hard time with not being able to fully be human. Data decides that working with Guinan might be a good way to learn about humans and Guinan proves to be a good teacher. There is a funny scene where Lal watches to people kissing in Ten Forward and then grabs Riker as he walks in for a drink and kisses him, just as Data walks in to demand what Riker's intentions are towards his daughter. During the same interation Data observes Lal using a contraction, something his program has never mastered.
But there are bigger problems, the Admiral rendezvous with the Enterprise and after observing Lal and interviewing her still insists that she be transferred to him. This causes Lal to have an emotional breakdown and I do mean breakdown because the experience of emotions starts a breakdown in her neural pathways. At this point the Admiral seems to get it and agrees to help Data try to save Lal, but it is too late. Lal suffers a total neural breakdown and Data is forced to deactivate her. But not before transferring her memories to himself so she can live on inside of him.
Review: Not as hard hitting as Measure of a Man, but a good look into what the consequences of creating artificial life might be like. I really appreciate that the admiral is willing to see things Data's way in the end, it often seems like Starfleet command are so terrible at their jobs the Enterprise should just go start it's own Federation.
7 out of 10
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