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Amph To Boldly Trek Where Many Geeks Have Gone Before- VOY: Drive, Repression & Imperfection

Discussion in 'Community' started by The2ndQuest , Jun 25, 2006.

  1. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Presumably because they are in some kind of an energy state, I guess.
     
  2. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    That sounds lame to me.
     
  3. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/e/e6/Beverly_wins_poker_-causeandeffect046.jpg] [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/b/b6/USS_Bozeman_emerges_from_a_temporal_causality_loop.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/7/78/Nacelle_explodes_-causeandeffect110.jpg]
    518: Cause and Effect
    -Premise: The destruction of the Enterprise near a distortion in the space-time continuum causes a temporal causality loop to form, trapping the ship and crew in time and forcing them to relive the events that lead to their deaths.

    -T2Q Comments: You'd figure something as last-resort as the core ejection system would be made so as not to go offline or unresponsive in an emergency...Third dead Galaxy class scene- ooh-nasty impact & fourth Galaxy death (though a rerun); and a more sparkly fifth death.

    The Tale of the Doomed Glass! And a sixth! Captain Frasier!

    This would have been an excellent setup to a sequel episode- a shame the Bozeman was never explored after this outside of a couple references o the ship and a non-canon novel- this is the second time the series blew a chance to make any kind of a followup to an episode that seemed to be a setup to significant events (the first being the Geordi/memory thing with the Romulans)

    Since I'm a time travel whore, this one's Definitely Essential

    Trivia- the Bozeman was originally going to be a Constitution-class but the budget required reusing the Reliant model. They origianlly tried to get Kirstie Alley to reprise Saavik as the bridge officer next to Kelsey Grammar's character.


    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/a/a2/Locarno-and-wesley.jpg] [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/0/00/StarfleetAcademy2368.jpg]
    519: The First Duty
    -Premise: Wesley Crusher must choose between his duty to his friends and his duty as a Starfleet officer following an accident during an academy training exercise that leads to the death of one of his friends.

    -T2Q Comments: "Wesley's alive and he's well" damn.

    First appearance of Starfleet Academy ever and, ah, the origin of Not-Tom Paris.

    In a nice bit of continuity, the groundskeeper Picard mentioned long ago appears- not only is he Picard's favorite groundskeeper, he's My Favorite Martian ::ba-dump-chah!::

    Not-Tom Paris is a good character, no wonder they sorta-but-didn't bring him back for Voyager (and the royalties issue that prevented him from being the same character are kind of stupid for a shared universe franchise). Jaxa also shows up again down the road.

    Definitely Essential.

    Trivia: The writers fought to have the episode end with Wesley staying silent/loyal to his friends, feeling it was a more realistic representation- but Berman overruled them, feeling it sent the wrong message.


    [image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/5/55/Parallax_Colony_Cost_of_Living.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/9/90/Wind_Dancer_Cost_of_Living.jpg]
    520: The Cost of Living
    -Premise: Lwaxana Troi is onboard the Enterprise to hold her wedding ceremony; she also takes an interest in Worf's son Alexander, encouraging him to adopt her carefree ways.

    -T2Q Comments: The deflector dish works- though, again, not the dish weapon.

    Dah! They blindside both Deanna and the viewer with Mama Troi. Boom mike at 9:07.

    Amusing moment- don't recall if this has happened before, but when Mama Troi accesses the holodeck program, she is in essence, talking to herself.

    This whole sequence I just don't know what to make of it- it's like it could have been a neat sequence in an Alice in Wonderland-type deal or a Jim Henson skit or a Dr Suess book, and yet with the Trek costuming and makeup and the overall context, it's perplexingly difficult to say if I'm enjoying this or not. And, thankfully, that body part did not end up being owned by whom I feared it wuld- a bit on the racier side, so far as Trek dancers go, though.

    The Alexander POV of Mr Holm is a k
     
  4. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I like all three of these ones...
     
  5. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/2/21/Kamala.jpg]
    521: The Perfect Mate
    -Premise: Picard serves as host for a peace treaty between two warring planets, but he may be unable to resist the reconciliation "gift" -- a beautiful empathic metamorph who is to be presented by one leader as the other's wife.

    -T2Q Comments: Holy crap on a stick in buttersauce- are these the most annoying Ferengi we've ever seen or what!

    Ah, the rare, spotted Jean Greyalot...and she's a self-professed mutant! [face_laugh]

    I'm not sure how much we're supposed to read into Riker's "i'll be in holodeck 4" after the makeout session.

    Ah crap, this is going down the road of Mudd/Ivy/Hathor if they don't reel this back quickly...and thankfully they did.

    The Picard/Beverely talk is a nice moment too. Points for the downer ending. The episode comes across as if they came up with the ending notion first, then came up with a premise to support it second, only to intermingle it with your semi-typical immature Trek fantasy romance, though they at least mature it somewhat by the end.

    Not terrible- we'll say" Average".

    Famke and Picard would later work together on the X-Men films, she also was initially offered the part of Dax on DS9 but turned it down, but her spotted makeup in this episode was used to replace the original Trill makeup from The Host for Dax.


    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/8/8b/Isabella.jpg]
    522: Imaginary Friend
    -Premise: As the Enterprise explores a nebula, a little girl's imaginary friend becomes terrifyingly real.

    -T2Q Comments: Ooh, red Bespinesque nebula background very purty. Damnit, another random living energy blip passes through the ship. Isabella has a little bit of a children of the corn thing going on. The sunset look to the nebubla certainly makes even the briefing room look spectacular.

    Whoopi is rather convincing with her sorytelling; and if we couldn't tell Isabella was upset or not benevelent, we have her with glowing red eyes, lol!

    ...and just when I started to wonder why they didn't bring Alexander into a kid-centric episode, viola! Of course, poor Alexander never gets the apology or compensation he's owed.

    So the episode amounts to "listen to your parents, kids- there are rules for a reason", which, in a way, makes this a good episode for kids to see, and the creepy-factor makes it enjoyable for adults- not essential, but Good nonetheless



    Up next: 523:I, Borg, 524: The Next Phase & 525: The Inner Light.
     
  6. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I've always like "The Perfect Mate", especially the moment when she growls at Whorf, and Bev. Crusher's take on her keeper: "that pimp who calls himself an ambassador"
     
  7. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/40/Hugh-Drone.jpg]
    523: I, Borg
    -Premise: The discovery of an injured adolescent Borg brings to the surface hard feelings for both Captain Picard and Guinan for what the Borg Collective had done to them. Matters are complicated when plans to use the young drone to destroy his people are halted when it is discovered that the Borg has become an individual.

    -T2Q Comments: First portrayal of Picard's feelings towards the Borg after his assimilation (besides "Family"), which nicely, so far at least, sets up some of his actions in First Contact.

    I like as this point that the Borg are still feared and unfamilair, despite what technical knowledge they've acquired from Picard, etc- with the crew/Federation generally being the best at stuff, it's an amazing vibe to have them be so wary and know they're still outclassed by a mortal/material enemy like the Borg. As Moore and otehrs would admit at this point- they knew they couldn't use the Borg a lot because if we keep beating something so unbeatable they become less threatening. A shame Voyager didn't understand this.

    This also introduces the Borg naming structure best known later via Seven of Nine, here with Third of Five. Also the hologram eye debuts here.

    I alsolike that we get to explore the Guinan/Borg connection again, which they really haven't touched on since Q Who.

    Really good episode, with a great idea on how to counter the Borg, which we'll see a bit later on (even if this plot thread is all but abandoned by First Contact and Voyager); Definitely Essential.



    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/7/70/Picard_walks_through_Ro.jpg] [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/49/Romulan_science_vessel%2C_forward.jpg]
    524: The Next Phase
    -Premise: Geordi LaForge and Ensign Ro are believed dead after a transporter malfunction. However, they soon discover that their state may not actually be "death".

    -T2Q Comments: Transporter accidents are usually icky. They set a course headed away from the ship, but are facing the same direction as they were before; and once again the engine eject system doesn't work- who designs these things?

    The odd thing about this episode so far is how hands-on the Romulans are letting the Federation staff be with their ship, whereas the man who tried to DEFECT self-destructed his ship to avoid them from even getting a look.

    Ah, so it's THAT kind of phase. I like how Geordi knows what direction to walk through the wall to get to where he's gotta go- yay for shortcuts! oh course, at least so far, this episode doesn't address the issue that even Stargate never really addressed, which is- why don't they fall through the floors?

    Wait- what the hell? Even ignoring the floor contradiction, how can she touch the chair and console!?

    Ha-phased baddie- I was wondering why they had the "extra" just sitting there doing nothing- I'm amused they play off of what is perceieved as low expectations for reasoning behind such an anomaly. oh crap! that's one way to deal with a phased baddie! Is it me, or does Ro look unusually pale in this episode?

    A little too much of a laugh at the end, but amusing- and of course, phasing will play a major role in a forthcoming episode and the characters are done justice throughout.

    I'm going to say Deinitely Essential- sure, Stargate did some details better in the half-dozen times it used phasing, but this more or less holds up very well despite the overt Ro chair/console goof, and this did come first.


    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d2/Picardflute.jpg]
    525: The Inner Light
    -Premise: An alien probe controls and disables Captain Picard, who wakes up as "Kamin," a resident of the planet Kataan. While the crew of the Enterprise tries to jar the probe's influence, "Kamin" lives through the dying days of his homeworld.

    -T2Q Comments: When you're writing an episode and you suddenly realize you need to have Worf say something since he'll
     
  8. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    All essential, I'd say. I like the Ro and G eppy the best.
     
  9. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/0/09/Samuel_Clemens.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/2/2c/Datas_head.jpg]
    525: Time's Aroow, part I
    -Premise: An engineering team finds evidence of an alien presence on Earth in 19th century San Francisco: Data's severed head, buried five hundred years ago.

    -T2Q Comments: Interesting that we're already seeing phasing used again. "Poker?" ha!

    Also interesting that the suggestion of a gureilla war played across time is suggested here, which would later play a large role in Enterprise. The mystery of Guinan gets addressed a little more here.

    Not sure what to think of the Clemens here- if it's too cartoony or just cartoony enough. Interesting notion of a lifeform's feeding habits.

    Not a huge cliffhanger like the last two seasons (since we know where they're going, among other details). Still, solid episode (though in retrospect sorta lessened by knowing Data's true fate, Countdown not withstanding); plus- timetravel! w00t! Definitely Essential.

    Trivia: originally, this season wasn't going to end ona cliffhanger, but they changed their mind to counter rumors that TNG was shutting down after all the hype surrounding the forthcoming DS9.



    [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/d/db/Times_arrow.jpg]
    601: Time's Arrow: part II
    -Premise: Trapped in 19th century San Francisco, the crew tries to stop the Devidians from killing more Humans.

    -T2Q Comments: Even without his VISOR, wouldn't Geordi standout from having the blinking lights on the connection points? Oh, I see he has replacement glasses that cover them. Props to Whoopi for doing a good job at differing her performance of young and old Guinan.

    Funny that Twain didn't have to explain the android head to the EMTs 2 feet behind them...ha. So they just wiped out that species, huh? Not gonna address that any more? no?

    This episode brings full circle a reference by Guinan about a bald man once being very kind to her, way back in Booby Trap. Though the most skippable of all the two-parters so far, I still would say this one is Definitely Essential.

    Trivia: They originally wanted to do more with the 1890's setting but couldn't due to budget reasons. For this episode, a museum loaned out the horse-driven fire vehicle for the first time due to the power of the words "Star Trek", Marina is noticably tanner here than she was in part I- she was married during hiatus and apparently honeymooned somewhere sunny.




    Up next: TNG 602: Realm of Fear, TNG 603: Man of the People, & TNG 604: Relics



    Time Travel Log:

    -TOS: All Our Yesterdays (2700 BC, Sarpedion Ice Age; NCC-1701 crew; from 2268)
    -TOS: All Our Yesterdays (Undefined 17th Century-esque Sarpeidon; NCC-1701 crew; from 2268)
    -TNG: Time's Arrow, part I (1893; NCC-1701-D crew; from 2368)
    -TOS: The City on the Edge of Forever (1930: NCC-1701 crew; from 2267)
    -TOS: Assignment Earth (1968: NCC-1701; from 2268)
    -TOS: Tommorow is Yesterday (1969: NCC-1701; from 2267)
    -ST4: The Voyage Home (1986: The Bounty crew, formerly of NCC-1701; from 2286)
    -TOS: The Tholian Web (2154 (Mirror Universe): NCC-1764 Defiant; from 2268)
    -TOS: The Naked Time (2266: NCC-1701 goes back in time 3 days; from 2266)
    -TNG: Time Squared (2365: Picard goes 6 hours into the past; from 2365)
    -TNG: Yesterday's Enterprise (2366 (Standard & FKW Universes); NCC-1701-C goes forward through a temporal rift; from 2344)
    -TNG: Captain's Holiday (2366; Vorgons; from 27th Century, approx. 2666)
    -TNG: Future Imperfect (False-2383; Will Riker. NCC-1701-D; from 2367)
    -TNG: A Matter of Time (2368; Berlinghoff Rasmussen; from 22nd Century, using 26th Century technology)
    -TNG: Cause and Effect (2368; NCC-1701-D ends up 17 days in the future after timeloop; from 2368)
    -TNG: Time's Arrow, part II (2368; Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens; from 1893)
     
  10. Palpateen

    Palpateen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2000

    Marina is noticably tanner here than she was in part I- she was married during hiatus and apparently honeymooned somewhere sunny.

    [face_love] She definitely added something to the show. The thought of her honeymoon though makes me sad. :(
     
  11. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/15/Transporter_matter_beam.jpg]
    TNG 602: Realm of Fear
    -Premise: Lieutenant Barclay faces his fear of transporting, but now he thinks that he's being attacked by a creature inside the transporter beam.

    -T2Q Comments: Barclay! Hurrah! Oh, I think I remember this episode. Goodbye awesome Season 5 titles...

    First 1st-person POV of being transported. They're starting to play up the Cardassians again, for the soon-to-arrive DS9.

    Dematerialized mouth monsters- yeah thats creepy, at least thats the lasting impression I still have of it from childhood- not sure if they'd have the same effect now without it ingrained in me.

    Watching Marina try to speed-walk to keep up with Reg's stride is quite funny! [face_laugh]

    One of the weirder-bit-neat twists in the show, though the technobabble explaination to justify it is layed on a bit heavy. I like that this one at least explored transporter phobias- though it doesn't go the full monty by diving into the "do you have the same consciousness coming out, or are you killed and perfectly cloned/recreated and thus can never actually tell the difference?" but it's a good start. Barclay is always Definitely Essential.



    [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/4e/Deanna_Troi_rapidly_aged.jpg]
    TNG 603: Man of the People
    -Premise: As an ambassador mediates peace talks to end a fierce civil war, Deanna Troi begins to act erratically.

    -T2Q Comments: Aliens with hair dye dripping down their foreheads and crazy mothers that make it hard for them to get date- perhaps the stereotypical Trek nerd is meant to sympathize? ;)

    Ensign Janeway? Amok Troi? Yowza dress in headlights! Old age makeup to undo by episode's end.

    Picard wonders how is it possible that the old lady corpse only has 30 year old organs and bones- yet they've seen Deanna is aging- you'd think it would be obvious, no?

    Hahaha- when they tell Picard and Worf to leave as he is needed, my first thought was "they have a transporter- beam up away from the guards with guns, then beam the negotiator up afterwards- cut back from commercial break and it's Picard's first thought as well- alas, technobabble gets in the way.

    The paiful shock expression of the negotiator is unintentionally hilarious. And if Deanna's aging is the result of chemical being released in her body as a reaction to the neural activity (like an accelerated version of stress taking a toll on your body)- how does the cessation of that activity instantly undo all that physical damage? His death is kinda dark enough of a moment, though.

    Generally not much wrong with this episode, and not bad for a Troi episode either- it's somewhat very by the books though- part of me kinda wishes they'd be able to find drama in these negotiations and such within the world of Trek, rather than have them be either useless background events or turned awry by the strange alien/alien ability of the week- not just in this episode, but the series in general. Anyways, the episode is Average.



    [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/12/Dyson_sphere_exterior.jpg] [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/7/71/USS_Jenolan_crash-landed.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/42/Scott2369.jpg]
    TNG 604: Relics
    -Premise: The Enterprise discovers a ship that crashed on a Dyson Sphere more than 75 years ago with a single survivor suspended in the transporter buffer: Captain Montgomery Scott.

    -T2Q Comments: Always liked ideas like a Dyson's Sphere, O'Neil station, etc. Hello, Scotty- nice touch with the TOS transporter sound and visual effects- though Scotty's comments about Kirk and the Enterprise are somewhat contradictory given the events of Generations' prologue- guess he was disoriented or lost those memories while in storage ;)

    Not sure I like how they're making Scotty "the old guy who won't shut up about the old days", though given his situation, I can see it being a type of copi
     
  12. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I've seen the first one, but not the rest...and yes, it was ye creepy.
     
  13. Darth_Omega

    Darth_Omega Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    According to memory alpha most of the bridge is in fact blue screen. Anyway I always enjoyed Relics, fun episode and Scotty really seems to fit right in with the rest of the TNG cast.

     
  14. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    Well, they built some of the set (IIRC there was a previous holodeck use that was just a full bluescreen effect)- as Scotty actually interacts and casts a shadow on some of it, as well as him and Picard sitting down in chairs.

    The wide-shot of the full bridge was definitely reused TOS footage, though.
     
  15. Darth_Omega

    Darth_Omega Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    You're quite correct having said that I believe only the mirror universe episodes of Enterprise managed to get a fully rebuild TOS bridge.
     
  16. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I didn't notice that!
     
  17. KissMeImARebel

    KissMeImARebel Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2003
    The presence of Scotty automatically makes any episode a classic. It's a rule.
     
    PCCViking likes this.
  18. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    As with all rules, there are exceptions ;)

    [image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/f/f4/Spock_wearing_neural_stimulator_2.jpg]
     
  19. NJOfan215

    NJOfan215 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 17, 2003
    I really liked times arrow. It would've been cool to see the ophidians again.
     
  20. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/2/27/Riker_abducted.jpg]
    TNG 605: Schisms
    -Premise: Enterprise crew members report that they go to sleep but wake up exhausted; a mysterious subspace pocket forms inside a cargo bay.

    -T2Q Comments: You know I've always kinda wondered how Starfleet looks upon their crew performing such radical modifications to the ship in the field ("if we feed this one thing into a different piece of technolgoy, we might get something better!"). You'd think that there'd be an R&D period before risking a ship with a thousand people aboard out in the middle of nowhere. Or does Starfleet intentionally make their ships so modular/customizable? I'd have to think that after a few months of such things like this, one starship in a class would be completely different from another.

    I was hoping that watching an episode would help me wake up- Riker not being able to stay awake here is not helping, ha.

    Introduction of Data's "Ode to Spot". See? an explosion because of weird tinkering!

    Medical team to cargo bay 4...sooo we're just gonna stroll over there, huh? I mean, you just had an explosion and people might be hurt badly..yet Worf, Crusher and co. are actually going slower than a walking pace.

    Usually when they tell you to drink something before you go to bed, they mean "more than one sip". The barber again? not a character i'd expect to be recurring- and, of course, I gotta wonder how a member of a bald-species becomes a barber?

    I see mobile metal staircases haven't changed much in the centuries since I worked at Staples. Making that table become metal from wood completely changes most of it's characteristics- a lot of the details in the holo-recreation seem to be included arbitrarily.

    Having your arm amputated and reattached without you knowing is kinda disturbing. And once again a magic energy ball that can pass through the hull enters/leaves the ship. I'm gonna take a guess that we never hear of this newly-established species threat/probe again. Seriously, they could make an entire "Star Trek: Forgotten Threats" series based on all the unfollowd up enemies they've set up and never mentioned again.

    Good Episode, But Not Necessarily Essential



    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/6/6d/Amanda_rogers.jpg]
    TNG 606: True Q
    -Premise: Q once again graces the Enterprise with a visit, claiming that a young intern aboard is really a Q.

    -T2Q Comments: So we either have Neo or what I'm assuming, going by the episode title, a member of the Q continuum in child form- knowingly or otherwisel Gotta wonder if it's a random core breach or if she caused it by accident ala the spontaneous puppy generation (ok, turns out it was Q himself).

    Q's wink at Crusher- they don't interact much, would kinda like to see more of that (thankfully in this episode we get some more). "You can't just take her away from everything she's ever known." "hmph- I can assure you I can." ha.

    Data doesn't seem at all surprised for Picard to speaking about the Q or Amanda's parents as being Q, or the fact that Picard just walked out of a room her never entered.

    Not sure why Picard or Crusher don't just come out and say "Unfortunately, he's an *******, but Q is the only one who can help you.", not like it'd harm her by supporting her opinion of him instead of seeming like they're trying to shove this abusive guy upon her.

    I'm kind of amused by the I Dream of Jeanie-esque hand motions the girl is taking to work her magic (compared to Q's usual snaps). The scale of them standing on the ship doesn't look quite right to me.

    I'm surprised they haven't played up Riker's having given up Q powers, given the girl's somewhat similar decision and her infatuation with him.

    "The jury's still out on that" kinda foreshadows All Good Things...

    "Jean-Luc, sometimes i think the only reason I come here is to listen to these wonderful speeches of yours."

    I like the girl's reaction to her actions. Excellent episode, and easily the best Q episode since Q Who, though it's dis
     
  21. Zaz

    Zaz Jedi Knight star 9

    Registered:
    Oct 11, 1998
    I've only seen the last one, and rather liked it than not, despite plotholes as big as the Ritz.
     
  22. Darth_Omega

    Darth_Omega Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    The Enterprises do seem to have a weakness towards Birds of Prey. :p
     
  23. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/9/90/Worf_and_Alexander_in_Deadwood.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/18/Durango%2C_Deadwood.jpg] [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/9/9d/Frank_Hollander.jpg]
    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d2/Picard_starts_his_Mozart_recording.jpg] [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/14/Sheriff_Worf.jpg] [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/5/5a/USS_Enterprise-D_flies_off_into_the_sunset.jpg]
    TNG 608: A Fistful of Datas
    -Premise: After a computer malfunction, Worf, Alexander Rozhenko, and Deanna Troi are trapped in an Old Western holodeck program where all the characters look like and have the same abilities as Data.

    -T2Q Comments: Nice touch with Picard and his flute- amusing gag with him constantly being interrupted.

    Oh, no, a western backlot...Deadwood, ha. "Mr Barclay helped a little" [face_laugh].

    Troi, oh my; Data, oh no.

    Throwback to Data's poetry, ha. I like the touch of "the ancient west" description. Lovely final shot- guess they had something extra in the budget? Oh wait, I get it- it's riding off into the sunset!

    As much as I usually find these types of episodes too cheesy, I still enjoyed this one (maybe because on TOS it felt like the actors were just trying to play cowboy, whereas here the characters are supposed to be p[laying cowboy), and I like that it continues the Worf/Troi pairing a bit. Good Episode, but not Necessarily Essential.

    Trivia: directed by Patrick Stewart, who got sunburn while shooting out of his excitement for filming it. Marina initially tried to blow rings of the smoke, but Dorn cut her off, saying "Stop it! Don't be funnier than me, this is my show."



    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/4b/Exocomp_with_tool.jpg]
    TNG 609: The Quality of Life
    -Premise: Data discovers robots that he believes qualify as lifeforms.

    -T2Q Comments: Amusingly making Geordi's beard growth a running plotline of all things. A learning computer goes bad, how original- Johnny Five is alive!

    Referencing Measure of a Man here, and I can see why this is the flipside of Data's predicament. The doctor's arc and function as a character is pretty by the book, still, a good episode, if predictable. Borderline Average.



    Up next: TNG 610 & 611: Chain of Command, Parts I & II.
     
  24. Darth_Omega

    Darth_Omega Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 19, 2002
    THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!

    :p
     
  25. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/8/88/Edward_Jellico.jpg] [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/1/13/Reklar.jpg] [image=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/6/60/Madred.jpg]
    TNG 610: Chain of Command, Part 1
    -Premise: Picard, Worf, and Dr. Crusher are reassigned from the Enterprise to a secret mission. Meanwhile, the Enterprise is under the command of Captain Jellico, who immediately starts making changes, much to the dismay of the crew.

    -T2Q Comments: Ah, one of the two two-parters I know the least about, should be fun. Cardassiana used here, on the cusp of DS9's debut, as well as Bajorians.

    And, having repeatedly failed to gain control of the Stargate program, Senator Kinsey has settled for command of the Enterprise... [face_laugh] "And get that fish out of the ready room" [face_laugh]

    For some reason I'm particularly liking the practical effect of the lights on the tricorder- the glow is slightly hazy and has an interesting visual quality to it. This Gul Lemec has a crazy wide grin, very unsettling.

    David Warner? Sweet- nice to see he's played a full spectrum of Trek species. Pretty awesome first parter. Definitely Essential.

    Trivia: the Ferengi in this episode was originally meant to be Quark as a DS9 crossover, but the delay in DS9's debut meant having to change it since no one would know who he was. This is also the first time Troi has worn a standard Starfleet uniform since Encounter at Farpoint, and would continue t do while on duty for the rest of the series.



    [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/4f/Madred%2C_four_lights.jpg] [image=http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/4/48/Data_%28command%29.jpg] [image=http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/en/images/7/7a/Lemec_retrieves_Picard.jpg]
    TNG 611: Chain of Command, Part 2
    -Premise: Captain Picard's secret mission fails, leading to him being captured by Cardassians. As he is tortured by his captors, Captain Jellico and the Enterprise attempt to prevent war with the Cardassian Union.

    -T2Q Comments: Warner is awesome. It's cool, yet weird, to see Data wearing command red. Warner and Stewarts scenes are great, though I have to wonder how starvation could play such a big role in the war with replicator technology readily available-you'd think relief efforts centered around those could do wonders to ease hostilities or the need for military control and related warfare.

    So I'm wondering how the Cardassians took the ship they're negotiating with just taking off like that. Not well, i would assume. Throwback mention to Geordi as a pilot.

    Excellent end, though they seem a little quick to give command back to the mindfracked Picard, and I don't feel we get full closure on "Kinsey" (I didn't want to see him disgraced or anything, or outright wrong, as that'd fit into the cliche of Starfleet higher-ups being nuts or idiots that has gone on since TOS, but I was hoping to see the character progress a little more). Definitely Essential



    Up next: DS9 101 & 102: Emissary