How do I teach a n00b about Trek?

[trekkiedane]

A friend of mine -well actually: the father of a friend of mine- and I have arranged for him to come here and watch my (the most recent, yet still not complete (as a new (old) copy was recently re-discovered)) version of Metropolis.

This guy (my dad's age ~ in his sixties) is no n00b to SciFi (why he never watched Metropolis is still a mystery to me!) be it written, drawn or on film, but apparently he's never really cared about television; I know he has a set but I doubt he is (or has ever been) able to receive anything more than the terrestrial (VHF!) signal from the Danish public broadcasting corporation (which never broadcast anything Trek outside a couple of the movies -no really! -not until we had (London-based) commercial channels in Danish was the Danish fan-club (trekkies.dk) able to persuade anyone to let us watch Trek without German dubbing.)

Where was I?

Oh yeah, this old'ish guy is coming to my place to watch an ancient SciFi movie.
I would then try to use the opportunity to teach him a bit about what SciFi (on screen) has evolved into.
Trek -definetly- is the thing you cannot avoid, in fact; the place where modern SciFi actually started (I might be a bit partial though).

But:

What should be the very first thing, Trek, I subject this guy to?

I need advice.
(preferably from people who've been in a situation like this or contemplated a situation not entirely unlike this before!)

At the moment I believe the very best starter to be the very best TNG episode: Insurrection. Especially as it has no in-Trek species (apart from Worf and Data of course (Troi doesn't sense a lot in this particular film) or other in-series stuff (apart from the prime directive, which is rather simply explained to a n00b).


Please help me!

 

[Jenee]

I'd start at the beginning - no, not the series, TOS really hasn't aged well, but start with either STI or STII - probably STII.

Then, move on to something TNG related.

The best DS9 episode, I think, for a non-trekkie, but a sci-fi fan would be the one where Kai Opaka goes into the Delta Quadrant.

Wouldn't have a clue about any Voyager episodes.

And definately not anything from Enterprise.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I'd show him some season 6 of DS9. Probably Favor the Bold/Sacrifice of Angels.

 

[Jenee]

^only if he's into battles and wars and stuff. In that case, the best one would be 'In The Pale Moonlight.'

 

[trekkiedane]

No, no, no -no wars an' stuff -I think this ol' "hippie" would luv the insurrection part of Insurrection!

And it definitely would have to be something where very little pre-knowledge is required!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

No, no, no -no wars an' stuff -I think this ol' "hippie" would luv the insurrection part of Insurrection!

And it definitely would have to be something where very little pre-knowledge is required!

"Fascination" (DS9)?

 

[captcalhoun]

The Cage.

 

[trekkiedane]

I'd start at the beginning - no, not the series, TOS really hasn't aged well,

Actually, I'm a bit offended by this! ( )
Are you calling me old???

You are (however much it saddens me to say so) of course right; only very few episodes of the OS are useable today.

but start with either STI or STII - probably STII.

'motionless' isn't a bad idea, but without any prior knowledge of the cast, it tends to put people asleep I'm afraid.[/QUOTE]

Then, move on to something TNG related.

For a European n00b, TNG, at the very least, has a great English actor in it… I'm thinking that it in itself might be a 'selling point'!

DS9, I just didn't even contemplate, but it might actually might be the way to go! After all it does have an actual story-line spanning many seasons.
might not be a bad idea to start someone off with some ep from there!

 

[Jenee]

I think TWOK would be ok without prior knowlege of the cast - nor even the previous storyline, you find it all out in the movie.

And that's exactly why I didn't say anything about the other movies, because those, you had to know ... why they searched so diligently for Spock, why he was so weird in TVH, and even the Klingon court and prison in ... whatever that movie was.

But, I think you'd do ok with TWOK. Then move on to Insurrection - First Contact definately needs to have pre-movie acquaintance with the characters - especially when DeAnna gets drunk.

 

[JNG]

Selected TOS episodes (remastered).

 

[trekkerguy]

Nothing to teach them. The show teaches them for you.
Start with whichever series or movie you like. Though
in the case of the movies it may be best to start at TMP.

If they are decently intelligent(and I assume they are)
then it's not that hard for them to enjoy it and get it
unless it's simply not "their thing" or don't have any patience.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

No, no, no -no wars an' stuff -I think this ol' "hippie" would luv the insurrection part of Insurrection!

And it definitely would have to be something where very little pre-knowledge is required!

Then perhaps something from TNG.

 

[Kelso]

Start with Where No Man Has Gone Before and continue on in production order.


You can't jump straight from Metropolis to one of the Trek spin-offs... the drop in quality would be too shocking.

 

[trekkiedane]

I think TWOK would be ok without prior knowlege of the cast - nor even the previous storyline, you find it all out in the movie.
/.../
But, I think you'd do ok with TWOK. Then move on to Insurrection - First Contact definately needs to have pre-movie acquaintance with the characters - especially when DeAnna gets drunk.

Actually, that makes a lot of sense; TWOK might actually be a very good starter! -Deanna being drunk isn't the biggest problem with First Contact -I see The Borg as being a little hard to explain to a n00b

Selected TOS episodes (remastered).

I'd need The One episode though! (And I don't see The Cage as being that particular ep myself! -Sure, I would've bought the box-set, but I don't think this guy would!

No, no, no -no wars an' stuff -I think this ol' "hippie" would luv the insurrection part of Insurrection!

And it definitely would have to be something where very little pre-knowledge is required!

Then perhaps something from TNG.

Indeed, TNG was made for n00bs and us ol' fogies: That's why I thought insurrection would be a good introduction in the first place…

 

[trekkiedane]

Nothing to teach them. The show teaches them for you.

True

Start with whichever series or movie you like.

Of course, but this guy wouldn't know a Klingon from a Puerto-Rican wearing gold-lamé!!!

Though in the case of the movies it may be best to start at TMP.

Sure, this person might even appreciate the tempo -he definitely watched 2001 in a theater - way back when…

 

[Timby]

DS9's "Duet."

 

[trekkiedane]

DS9's "Duet."

THAT is the perfect episode to 'hook' anyone to DS9 (and thereby Trek at large) -thanks, good suggestion!

 

[Zulu Romeo]

Another good one to consider is TNG's "The Inner Light" - no baggage, just a fine story. And very little in the "killin' and blowed stuff up" department too. (For that, I'd also recommend "Darmok".)

 

[trekkiedane]

^WOW!
Those are actually very good suggestions! - I'll make a note of that!

You can't jump straight from Metropolis to one of the Trek spin-offs... the drop in quality would be too shocking.

Yeah, not a direct transition I'd even try, not on the same movie-date! (at least not to a n00b)

________
Sorry 'bout the (possible) double post here; I just needed to tell Kelso that I wasn't that dumb!

 

[RAMA]

Start with Where No Man Has Gone Before and continue on in production order.


You can't jump straight from Metropolis to one of the Trek spin-offs... the drop in quality would be too shocking.

Metropolis is fairly simple actually.

I'd find out what this old guy LIKES in terms of his life experiences....and start of with a good STNG episode that has a general theme to it that he might enjoy...is there anything that he believes in that ST supports?

RAMA