Why Do We Demand Internal Consistency & Continuity in Star Trek?

[Shawnster]

There as way round that, replicators require energy and energy is not finite. Whatever is replicated is reduced quality like food and drinks, the only thing the machines get right is water.

I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.

My head canon is that this is the technological difference between TOS food synthesizers and TNG food replicators. The 23rd century synthetic food tasted fake, artificial. Like something out of a vending machine. Food like. By the 24th century the technology had advanced to the point that the quality and taste was virtually indistinguishable from the actual product. Only snobs like Picard thought they could tell the difference.

 

[Commishsleer]

I know there is a complaint that the replicators especially in VOY were too powerful Which was used to explain why the ship was still in perfect condition in Season 7.
But if we had a big enough 3D printer surely we are almost capable of now doing what VOY suggests. Of course a 3D printer doesn't convert matter. But it might be able to make B'Elanna's bay's cradle.

 

[Takeru]

I doubt most people would be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.

My head canon is that this is the technological difference between TOS food synthesizers and TNG food replicators. The 23rd century synthetic food tasted fake, artificial. Like something out of a vending machine. Food like. By the 24th century the technology had advanced to the point that the quality and taste was virtually indistinguishable from the actual product. Only snobs like Picard thought they could tell the difference.

Sisko was the food snob among the captains. Which makes me think, if he liked cooking so much (I think he's the only main character who ever did it on screen), why didn't his quarters have an actual kitchen area?

 

[Butters]

Sisko was the food snob among the captains. Which makes me think, if he liked cooking so much (I think he's the only main character who ever did it on screen), why didn't his quarters have an actual kitchen area?

Riker was seen to cook one of his dads recipes at one point.

Sisko not having a kitchen, I suppose, was half arsed production. I doubt they gave it enough thought to realise. It’s hard to imagine a foody like sisko building a vintage Bajoran solar sailer before installing a stove, sink and workspace in his quarters.

That said, crew quarters on B5 had kitchens, maybe TPTB didn’t want to draw any more comparisons.

 

[thribs]

To me it’s just common sense to have it.

 

[cooleddie74]

He may have had one we just never saw or which was ignored by the official blueprints, or if Cardassian quarters aboard mining stations don't come equipped with personal kitchens I suppose he could have gone down to the Promenade and used one of the food stands there to whip up some of his ingredients before taking them back to his quarters to finish preparing the meal. My best guess? A lack of forethought on behalf of the set designers and producers.

 

[Nyotarules]

Sisko was the food snob among the captains. Which makes me think, if he liked cooking so much (I think he's the only main character who ever did it on screen), why didn't his quarters have an actual kitchen area?

Blame the Cardassian architect

 

[Herbert]

To me it’s just common sense to have it.

I agree. I like things to make sense in one single unified milieu. I realize there would also be some variation and 'oops' moments that got past a continuity gatekeeper. You couldn't avoid all of those but overall, I like things to fit together and not get retconned years later because a writer needs to place the importance of their story over the milieu. I've seen this happen so many times in Marvel and DC comic books that I couldn't stand to read them anymore.

 

[Gavin70]

Of course a 3D printer doesn't convert matter. But it might be able to make B'Elanna's bay's cradle.

As far as I can see, replicator technology is just 3D printing at an atomic (or subatomic level). They presumably use transporter technology to break down matter into its component atoms and then the replicators just use those atoms to create food and other products. Given ongoing development of 3D printing I can't imagine there's anything theoretically impossible about replicators. Of course it may turn out to be inefficient energy-wise or have other challenges, but in theory it should be possible.

 

[Sophie74656]

As far as I can see, replicator technology is just 3D printing at an atomic (or subatomic level). They presumably use transporter technology to break down matter into its component atoms and then the replicators just use those atoms to create food and other products. Given ongoing development of 3D printing I can't imagine there's anything theoretically impossible about replicators. Of course it may turn out to be inefficient energy-wise or have other challenges, but in theory it should be possible.

I think that's pretty much how it works. Its easentially a teansporter. There is "bulk matter" somewhere and rhe replicator beams in some of it and rearanges the molecules into coffee or whatever

 

[Gavin70]

It has been a frequent thing for decades among Star Trek fans: "This happened in this episode so why does this happen instead in a later episode" and stuff like that.

Why do we care or bother?

I'm not a big stickler for continuity (I'm a Doctor Who fan so if I was hung up on continuity I'd be certifiably insane by now) but I do like shows to make an attempt to be internally consistent. For example, if the transporters in one episode can only send people 100km and in the next episode they can send them to another planet and there's not at least some sort of handwave I'm going to be mildly perturbed. Similarly in an interconnected universe like Star Trek there should be some attempt to maintain a basic level of continuity around the basic rules of the universe and technology levels over time.

I won't lose any sleep over minor nitpicky details (I once saw someone complaining that on Friends Ross had 3 different birthdays given). I don't care about that level of detail, But taking Discovery as an example, its hard to see how the level of technology in that show can believably be 10 years earlier than the level of technology in TOS. Internally within the show its fine and I can accept it, but in the interconnected universe its harder to accept.

 

[MacLeod]

I know there is a complaint that the replicators especially in VOY were too powerful Which was used to explain why the ship was still in perfect condition in Season 7.
But if we had a big enough 3D printer surely we are almost capable of now doing what VOY suggests. Of course a 3D printer doesn't convert matter. But it might be able to make B'Elanna's bay's cradle.

The replicators weren't too powerful in VOY given that we are told that they are incapable of replacing photon torpedoes which would likely including replicating the needed components to replace them.

 

[fireproof78]

The replicators weren't too powerful in VOY given that we are told that they are incapable of replacing photon torpedoes which would likely including replicating the needed components to replace them.

Where did all the extra torpedoes come from?

Also, they managed to build a lot of shuttlecraft too.

 

[MacLeod]

Where did all the extra torpedoes come from?

Also, they managed to build a lot of shuttlecraft too.

Isn't that the point in a thread about a lack of internal consistency we are told they can't do something which they later ignore therefore it's not internally consistent. The writers imposed the limit of not being able to replace torpedoes it's not unreasonable for me as a viewer to expect them to stick to a self imposed limit, if you don't plan on following it don't impose it in the first place and if you want to get around it then explain why it isn't an issue anymore. Replicators aren't magic tech they have their limitations they obviously can't replicate latinum or it would be worthless as a currency so it's not a stretch to think there might be other things they can't replicate.

Being incapable of replacing torpedoes could have been a big plot element as they would have to use what few they had sparingly so could drive the plot i.e. do we really need to use one here. Instead we get things are a bit sticky lets lob a few torpedoes to get out of this mess.

Changing number of decks i.e. on the Sovereign class whilst mildly annoying has little to no impact on plots and I can easily overlook it.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Changing number of decks i.e. on the Sovereign class whilst mildly annoying has little to no impact on plots and I can easily overlook it.

OTOH, having somebody fall into a bottomless pit when they're already supposed to be on one of the lowest decks of the ship is a massive WTF.

 

[fireproof78]

Isn't that the point in a thread about a lack of internal consistency we are told they can't do something which they later ignore therefore it's not internally consistent. The writers imposed the limit of not being able to replace torpedoes it's not unreasonable for me as a viewer to expect them to stick to a self imposed limit, if you don't plan on following it don't impose it in the first place and if you want to get around it then explain why it isn't an issue anymore. Replicators aren't magic tech they have their limitations they obviously can't replicate latinum or it would be worthless as a currency so it's not a stretch to think there might be other things they can't replicate.

Being incapable of replacing torpedoes could have been a big plot element as they would have to use what few they had sparingly so could drive the plot i.e. do we really need to use one here. Instead we get things are a bit sticky lets lob a few torpedoes to get out of this mess.

I misread your post and agree with your point. I follow a lot better now

 

[urbandefault]

The answer to the OP question is simple. Everyone knows, but no one wants to recognize it.

So I'll just leave that right there and let the shitstorm begin.

 

[Shawnster]

The replicators weren't too powerful in VOY given that we are told that they are incapable of replacing photon torpedoes which would likely including replicating the needed components to replace them.

Can't replicate photon torpedoes but can replicate the Delta Flyer completell with warp core.

 

[jaime]

OTOH, having somebody fall into a bottomless pit when they're already supposed to be on one of the lowest decks of the ship is a massive WTF.

I always thought he fell along the deuterium tank, since the gravity was set to a different axis...then possibly back out the hole they boarded through.

 

[jaime]

Can't replicate photon torpedoes but can replicate the Delta Flyer completell with warp core.

I thought the flyer was basically built by hand, in 24th century terms.