Threshold

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

Ok, here's a question on threshold that has nothing to do with copulating salamanders...

Why bother reaching Warp 10 at all? Who needs to reach infinite velocity and be everywhere, when all you really want to do is get home faster? Is there something wrong with traveling at warp 9.9999 and getting home in a few minutes/hours?

And why not just stay on the lookout for more of this super dilithium? If they can find enough of it, couldn't you just use the shuttle you re-inforced to survive warp 10 to make a few trips back and forth just under warp 10, ferry the crew off the ship in a few days, and be done?

And if warp 10 allows you to be everywhere, is that how the Q came into being? A race that achieved warp 10 and could go anywhere instantly and see everything, then enhanced their civilization with all this new found knowledge.

Oh well...

 

[uniderth]

I rationalize Threshold by making it a strange dream Tom had after too much piloting and TV marathons. Though, I think Tom regrets telling Harry about it; because now Harry makes fun of him at every opportunity.

But yes, your question is very rational and the episode not so much. Hence, my rationalization.

 

[stardream]

I rationalize Threshold by making it a strange dream Tom had after too much piloting and TV marathons. Though, I think Tom regrets telling Harry about it; because now Harry makes fun of him at every opportunity.

But yes, your question is very rational and the episode not so much. Hence, my rationalization.

I've read some pretty funny fanfictions about Tom's Wild Dream. That's the only way I can watch it. I pretend he was under the influence of something.

The OP does ask a good question.

 

[hux]

And why give up? Yeah sure, they turned into lizard people but that's no reason to stop trying. Such monumental quitters.

Get back on the horse.

 

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

And why give up? Yeah sure, they turned into lizard people but that's no reason to stop trying. Such monumental quitters.

Get back on the horse.

In a sense, yes, they were quitters. Once the Doctor gets his mobile emitter, they could've sent him in the warp 10 shuttle to go back home. He doesn't evolve into anything.

If they don't want to risk losing the Doc, they could also have also sent the shuttle unmanned back to the Federation. Risky, but it could've been used to have regular contact with Starfleet a lot earlier. Why not build the warp 10 engine into a new class of probe. Imagine all the data it could collect.

For that matter, why was the shuttle never sent anywhere unmanned? They go straight from holo-simulations to sending Tom on his merry way. Not really the smartest thing to do. Since crossing the barrier has never been done, you have no idea if your simulation of what's beyond the barrier is anything close to the reality. The ship could've been instantly pulverized by natural forces you didn't even know existed.

Pack it with some test bio cylinders and pre-program a return course before you risk your pilot.. geez.

 

[RAMA]

Rationalizing Threshold is like trying to hold a grip on water.

 

[Nebusj]

Get back on the horse.

But the horse used to be our Tellaxian Fishopotamus specimen!

 

[hux]

As opposed to all those episodes that made sense?

I've never understood the negative attitude towards Threshold at all. There are so many episodes that are worse. Is it because Trekkers get upset at the show breaking warp 10? Honestly, what is it? I can give you so many examples of Trek episodes that are beyond ridiculous and way worse when it comes to making sense yet that don't get anywhere near this kind of criticism.

What is it?

Breaking warp 10 is like the greatest Trek blasphemy or something?

 

[uniderth]

I can give you so many examples of Trek episodes that are beyond ridiculous and way worse when it comes to making sense yet that don't get anywhere near this kind of criticism.

Please do.

And they were dreams too.

 

[A Chimpanzee & 2 Trainees]

Please do.

And they were dreams too.

Can't really think of a Voyager episode off the top of my head, but in Trek..

Spock's Brain....

Space Hippies...

While "A Taste of Armaggeddon" isn't met with much derision, Kirk essentially threatens the survival of an entire species (and arguably two) to get his landing party off a planet. The ship was in no imminent danger with its shields up, yet Kirk orders the entire surface of the planet leveled because HE was trapped. That doesn't make much sense either, but at least they were trying to make a point.

Code of Honor.

Masks ... (man, I hated that episode. It's the only TNG I refuse to watch again)

Hux is right that there are plenty of ridiculous episodes in Trek. I actually re-watched the episode recently because of the reactions of the actors on those 20th anniversary panel videos to the episode and wanted to refresh my memory. It couldn't have been THAT bad.

I don't know if Threshold is really worse than any of these episodes, but while everyone laughs at the lizards, after having seen it again, I don't even think that's one of the episode's problems. The Voyager crew retains possession of a technology that they should have been able to use to get home, or at least get in touch with Starfleet, without explaining why they can't.... unless I missed it (which I might have)...

 

[Triskelion]

How to write Threshold:

1. Everybody drink.
2. Write down one wacky idea and throw it into a hat.
3. Now use them all in the order they are picked.
4. RESET

 

[Ghislaine H. B. BRAEME]

Frankly, the one who laid the scenario of Threshold must be given drugs or under the influence of drug!
Quickly, Mugrew and McNeill were well conscious of the stupidity of the story. Braga recognized it far later.
-> didn't the producers read the scenarios before the shooting begins?

 

[Lance]

How to write Threshold:

1. Everybody drink.
2. Write down one wacky idea and throw it into a hat.
3. Now use them all in the order they are picked.
4. RESET

I'm pretty sure this was the same method Brannon Braga used to write all of his stories for Star Trek.

 

[trekyourself]

Threshold further reinforces my idea to have a few trekbbs superfans on staff for the the new show, just to tell the writers when they've done something that's going to drive the boards mental. Basically just somebody with some common sense to whack them with a rolled up newspaper when they get too out of line.

 

[Triskelion]

In honor of this thread I made this: