Episode of the Week: The Neutral Zone

[Melakon]

CorporalClegg wrote:

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Rippy alone is worth the price of admission.

Rippy was great. I later spotted him in one of his earliest jobs, the 1984 film Firestarter, where he's a bad guy government agent meeting a bad end.

His accent in "The Neutral Zone" might have been based on one he was familiar with, as he's from South Carolina.

[Dale Sams]

You don't know how many times I've used this clip

[T'Girl]

One of my favorite moment in all Star Trek is where Picard and company are spending considerable time in the episode studying to trying to understand the Romulans, and Picard verbally fences with them on the view screen, and the 20th century businessman figures out the situation after standing quietly at the back of the bridge for several seconds.

[CorporalClegg]

Dale Sams wrote:

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You don't know how many times I've used this clip

Alaimo: Boss.


I think they should have Dukat say the same thing to Sisko.

[Melakon]

CorporalClegg wrote:

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I think they should have Dukat say the same thing to Sisko.

Or both Worf and Dukat could have had a "Don't I know you?" moment.

[Jeyl]

The Neutral Zone

Oh, Maurice Hurley. You have once again blessed us with your divine work for The Next Generation's first season finale, The Neutral Zone. An episode who's synopsis is full of dramatic potential but is smothered by the efforts of making it preach Gene's vision of a perfect humanity and spending too much time with one-shot characters who nobody should give a crap about. It's almost baffling how anyone thought Maurice's writing on this episode was good material when our heroes are so arrogant and so clueless about what humanity was like back in the 20th century that they would honestly look at these three people and use them as a means of describing how we ever survived as a race.

Our episode opens with a nice visual effect shot of a satellite drifting in front of the Enterprise. What is this satellite? Why is it all the way out here? even Geordi asks "I wonder how it got out here". Riker's reaction?

Riker: It's just a piece of space debris. If we hadn't sitting here waiting for the Captain, we wouldn't have noticed it. Leave it be. Let nature take its course.

Wait, what? Maurice, you were tasked with writing a show about explorers who seek out the wonders of the universe, and when they find something that even leaves even Geordie curious, you have the one person in charge not give a crap about it. No scientific or historical curiosity at all. Even when Data wishes to explore the satellite, you have Riker respond with-

Riker: Why, Data? It's just a derelict.

If Maurice wrote an episode for a firefighter series, he'd have the lead character question his fellow firefighters on why they would want to put out a house fire simply by saying "Why? The house is obviously ruined." without any regards as to actually saving the house or whether there might still be people inside. And if you think that's bad, just wait until you see what Maurice does in the very next episode with the Enterprise's new doctor.

Turns out that Data's suggestion paid off since he and Worf discover dead people inside the satellite who can be revived. You would think that Riker's blatant misbehavior towards this satellite would lead to a potential character development moment for him since if he had more of an adventurous spirit, he probably could have done more good in the past. But no. Not only will Riker be be doing the exact opposite, his drinking buddy Picard will also be bit***ing about this whole situation to.

CRUSHER: they were frozen. I thawed them.
PICARD: You what?

DATA: I could not leave them there, Captain. The condition of their vehicle was deteriorating.
PICARD: But Data, they were already dead. I mean, what more could have happened to them?

....Not be brought back to life? Look, I don't know how well Maurice's knowledge of medical history is, but there have been cases where patients have actually died in the hospital and were successfully revived. But the fact that Picard is appalled by the concept of bringing humans back to life using only their modern medical expertise (and not Q powers), one has to wonder if Maurice has any care for human life period. Now, if their brains had deteriorated over the centuries, than yes. It would be a bad idea to bring them back to life because they'll be nothing but mindless vegetables. But that's not the case with these three.

That's all I got for today. Tune in for tomorrow where we learn that despite our heroes working onboard a starship with families and children, there is not one single genuine baby sitter who can be tasked with taking care of our very 'infantile' guests.

[Dale Sams]

Jeyl wrote:

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The Neutral Zone

Oh, Maurice Hurley. You have once again blessed us with your divine work for The Next Generation's first season finale, The Neutral Zone. An episode who's synopsis is full of dramatic potential but is smothered by the efforts of making it preach Gene's vision of a perfect humanity and spending too much time with one-shot characters who nobody should give a crap about. It's almost baffling how anyone thought Maurice's writing on this episode was good material when our heroes are so arrogant and so clueless about what humanity was like back in the 20th century that they would honestly look at these three people and use them as a means of describing how we ever survived as a race.

Our episode opens with a nice visual effect shot of a satellite drifting in front of the Enterprise. What is this satellite? Why is it all the way out here? even Geordi asks "I wonder how it got out here". Riker's reaction?

Riker: It's just a piece of space debris. If we hadn't sitting here waiting for the Captain, we wouldn't have noticed it. Leave it be. Let nature take its course.

Wait, what? Maurice, you were tasked with writing a show about explorers who seek out the wonders of the universe, and when they find something that even leaves even Geordie curious, you have the one person in charge not give a crap about it. No scientific or historical curiosity at all. Even when Data wishes to explore the satellite, you have Riker respond with-

Riker: Why, Data? It's just a derelict.

If Maurice wrote an episode for a firefighter series, he'd have the lead character question his fellow firefighters on why they would want to put out a house fire simply by saying "Why? The house is obviously ruined." without any regards as to actually saving the house or whether there might still be people inside. And if you think that's bad, just wait until you see what Maurice does in the very next episode with the Enterprise's new doctor.

Turns out that Data's suggestion paid off since he and Worf discover dead people inside the satellite who can be revived. You would think that Riker's blatant misbehavior towards this satellite would lead to a potential character development moment for him since if he had more of an adventurous spirit, he probably could have done more good in the past. But no. Not only will Riker be be doing the exact opposite, his drinking buddy Picard will also be bit***ing about this whole situation to.

CRUSHER: they were frozen. I thawed them.
PICARD: You what?

DATA: I could not leave them there, Captain. The condition of their vehicle was deteriorating.
PICARD: But Data, they were already dead. I mean, what more could have happened to them?

....Not be brought back to life? Look, I don't know how well Maurice's knowledge of medical history is, but there have been cases where patients have actually died in the hospital and were successfully revived. But the fact that Picard is appalled by the concept of bringing humans back to life using only their modern medical expertise (and not Q powers), one has to wonder if Maurice has any care for human life period. Now, if their brains had deteriorated over the centuries, than yes. It would be a bad idea to bring them back to life because they'll be nothing but mindless vegetables. But that's not the case with these three.

That's all I got for today. Tune in for tomorrow where we learn that despite our heroes working onboard a starship with families and children, there is not one single genuine baby sitter who can be tasked with taking care of our very 'infantile' guests.

Yes...I mean of what POSSIBLE use could these people be? I'm sure historians have every detail of their probably pre WW3 lives down to the last detail. (though they do have family trees readily on hand)

Riker: They're (sniff) practically cavemen.
Picard (Snort) I knoooooow. I'm of a good mind to stuff them back in their can.

They should have got a goddamn parade. Shooting themselves into the future in the 1 in a quabillion chance they would be rescued and revived.

I suppose they should have stuffed Scotty back in the transporter too.

[MikeS]

Do we ever find out what the "Tomed Incident" was?

And do we find out what happened to the 20th Century Humans in the novelverse?

One line I loved from Dr. Crusher - "Too afraid to live, too scared to die". Although she does not realise it (the line was played as puzzlement), she sums up drug abuse perfectly here, much better than she does in Symbiosis.

[Melakon]

MikeS wrote:

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Do we ever find out what the "Tomed Incident" was?

In the novel Serpents Among the Ruins, apparently.

Spoiler: http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tomed_Incident

[Zaku]

MikeS wrote:

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And do we find out what happened to the 20th Century Humans in the novelverse?

Yes

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Clare_Raymond
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/L.Q._Clemonds
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Ralph_Offenhouse

[Jeyl]

RALPH: If they are so important, why don't they need an executive key?
PICARD: Aboard a starship, that is not necessary. We are all capable of exercising self-discipline.

StarFleet Security measures: Anyone who is not a member of Starfleet or the Federation can just go anywhere and use anything.

Seriously, these people are onboard a ship that can identify you by name, rank and locate you anywhere onboard, and at no point does anyone tell the computer to limit their access. It's even more silly when you realize that a couple of episodes ago, an escaped Klingon prisoner was able to make his way to Engineering and threaten to blow up the entire ship by shooting at the warp core. If it's so easy to destroy the ship, and every crew member onboard has a high rating of self-discipline, why does it take two senior officers to activate the self-destruct sequence? It's kind of like that Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns and Smithers go through a lot of rigorous security measures to get into the room the controls Springfield's power, even though the same room can be accessed outside via a broken screen door.

[MikeS]

Zaku wrote:

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Yes

http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Clare_Raymond
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/L.Q._Clemonds
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Ralph_Offenhouse

Interesting. I've read some of those books but hadn't recognised the references. Thanks.

Melakon wrote:

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In the novel Serpents Among the Ruins, apparently.

Spoiler: http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Tomed_Incident

Thanks for the info. I think that rather than click on the link, I will seek and read the book.

[Dale Sams]

What's hilarious is, the exact opposite of what Picard wanted to present to the Romulans occurs. I'm sure Picard wanted the Feds to appear determined, resolute and united. Instead they look a little silly from the Romulan POV.

Worf: "Still, what gives you the right"
20th century dude: "He doesn't know!"
Riker: "You're out of line mister!"

When have we *ever* seen the peanut gallery on a Klingon or Romulan ship chirping up?

[Jeyl]

Dale Sams wrote:

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What's hilarious is, the exact opposite of what Picard wanted to present to the Romulans occurs. I'm sure Picard wanted the Feds to appear determined, resolute and united. Instead they look a little silly from the Romulan POV.

I would argue that the Romulans come off a bit worse. Things were going ok when both commanders agreed to corporate with Picard until one of the commanders tells Picard that the Federation is not wanted and than leaves. What exactly did the Romulans accomplish that benefited them in making contact with the Enterprise? They're actions are about as intimidating as some gamer challenging you only to leave before the game starts.

[Dale Sams]

Jeyl wrote:

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I would argue that the Romulans come off a bit worse. Things were going ok when both commanders agreed to corporate with Picard until one of the commanders tells Picard that the Federation is not wanted and than leaves. What exactly did the Romulans accomplish that benefited them in making contact with the Enterprise? They're actions are about as intimidating as some gamer challenging you only to leave before the game starts.

True, but they were in Federation space.

The Romulans are going to say they went *into* Fed Space, discovered the Feds had been attacked also, appear to be greatly agitated, found that a Klingon is in SF, and that this Galaxy Class is kinda 'soft'. (speculation on my part)

Picard will say both sides have been attacked, the Roms are 'back', they have a badass, undetectable ship....annnnd apparently operate on some sort of co-command system that we will never see again.