Peak Performance Rewatch

[DougWare]

Peak Performance is an episode I really enjoy. It's not in my top 10 like Relics or BOBW, but it's in my top 20 or 25. I enjoy the action...

However, when I rewatched it today a couple of things that had irked me before, today seemed to "grind my gears".

1. Why is Data trying for a stalemate during the game?
2. The "project" that Wesley took back to the ship, was it antimatter or some rudimentary product that can be substituted for/converted to antimatter? Does this mean that antimatter looks like gray play-dough?
3. I can understand Worf's "surprise" on the Enterprise, but without the sensor codes...how did he manage to fool the Ferangi ship?
4. If the Hathaway really was "warp inactive" as that little devil Korami put it, why did her engines glow blue?
5. Why did the Ferangi still refer to their Captain as "leader", that just seems so fake to me. I try to play it off as the universal translator doing the best it can, but really...couldn't they have come up with something better...even "Sir! There is another vessel approaching!". That's just lazy writing...

Were these mistakes just really horrible writing, or were they still nailing down terms and standards? I really hate to say it...but for some reason today they annoyed me a lot more today...this episode hasn't aged well...

My rant is over...I would love to hear your opinions as well...

 

[Triskelion]

I won' t try to answer all the questions, but here's a couple thoughts:

1. Data couldn't defeat Kolrami at Stratagema. Maybe it required more intuition, like poker. Nevertheless, he could defeat Kolrami's expectation of winning by just getting in his way. Sort of like when someone points at you and says "I'm not touching you". Data's new objective wasn't to win, but to frustrate Kolrami and get inside his head. Kolrami was too mature to play that game for long; but still, not being able to win did surprise and frustrate him, and that's the win. Getting a rise out of him and maybe knocking him off his saddle.

I love the Zakdorn. The only other one I remember seeing was the administrator in the scrap yard. Kolrami would have made an excellent recurring baddie always interfering from Starfleet. Wish we'd seen more of him!

 

[LCARSGFX]

[ Sarcasm ]

Peak Performance is an episode I really enjoy. It's not in my top 10 like Relics or BOBW, but it's in my top 20 or 25. I enjoy the action...

However, when I rewatched it today a couple of things that had irked me before, today seemed to "grind my gears".
Why is Data trying for a stalemate during the game?

As Skellington says.

The "project" that Wesley took back to the ship, was it antimatter or some rudimentary product that can be substituted for/converted to antimatter? Does this mean that antimatter looks like gray play-dough?

No, seeing as we cannot currently produce Ant-matter and contain it, play doh is the next best thing

I can understand Worf's "surprise" on the Enterprise, but without the sensor codes...how did he manage to fool the Ferangi ship?

Easy, it's called the plot device.
Come on now, how many times have we seen the "generate a fake warp signature" get out of jail free card being used?! False sensor readings aren't all that disimlar

If the Hathaway really was "warp inactive" as that little devil Korami put it, why did her engines glow blue?

Because it looks better on screen or someone made a boo boo

[/ Sarcasm ]

 

[RapidNadion]

You're right about this episode aging poorly. The engineering set on the Hathaway was hard times, man. I always giggle at the awful build quality of the dilithium frame in that shot where Wesley and Geordi are "checking the lining" of the chamber -- apparently, super-sophisticated matter/antimatter reactors use a Wal Mart desk drawer to contain the reaction. Blarg.

It does have its high points, though. Discussing a modification that Worf wants to make:

Crewman: "Where do I get the optic cable?"

Worf: (rips a bundle out of the overhead) "ANYWHERE."

 

[DougWare]

You're right about this episode aging poorly. The engineering set on the Hathaway was hard times, man. I always giggle at the awful build quality of the dilithium frame in that shot where Wesley and Geordi are "checking the lining" of the chamber -- apparently, super-sophisticated matter/antimatter reactors use a Wal Mart desk drawer to contain the reaction. Blarg.

It does have its high points, though. Discussing a modification that Worf wants to make:

Crewman: "Where do I get the optic cable?"

Worf: (rips a bundle out of the overhead) "ANYWHERE."

I always thought and still believe she calls it "opti cable". It is clearly fiber optic, but I think they tried to bastardize it into "opti cable".

About the warp core, you are forgetting the four pegs that held the chamber door on.

Why are they even working with the warp core if they ONLY have 32 hours and she was rendered "warp inactive" AND they have no antimatter...why not work on something you have a hope of fixing? If Wesley hadn't gone to get his play doh, they couldn't have made it work at all...

 

[Alrik]

You're right about this episode aging poorly. The engineering set on the Hathaway was hard times, man. I always giggle at the awful build quality of the dilithium frame in that shot where Wesley and Geordi are "checking the lining" of the chamber -- apparently, super-sophisticated matter/antimatter reactors use a Wal Mart desk drawer to contain the reaction. Blarg.

It does have its high points, though. Discussing a modification that Worf wants to make:

Crewman: "Where do I get the optic cable?"

Worf: (rips a bundle out of the overhead) "ANYWHERE."

I always thought and still believe she calls it "opti cable". It is clearly fiber optic, but I think they tried to bastardize it into "opti cable".

About the warp core, you are forgetting the four pegs that held the chamber door on.

Why are they even working with the warp core if they ONLY have 32 hours and she was rendered "warp inactive" AND they have no antimatter...why not work on something you have a hope of fixing? If Wesley hadn't gone to get his play doh, they couldn't have made it work at all...

I don't find that part far fetched at all. I would think rule one would be to evaluate all propulsion systems to know just exactly where you stand. It's a good thing they did too.

And Worf did call it opti cable.

 

[Trekker4747]

I've always kind of liked this episode.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

The crisis of the Ferengi seemed forced in. Wasn't this there only season 2 appearance? After failed villainy of season 1, they must've thought "we need an actually threat to appear here, but it can't be the Borg or the Romulans, but we can't just introduce a new entity...so..."

Starfleet just leaves old ships orbiting planets? Just about anyone just take them, because even old tech could benefit a less advanced race. Don't they have a scrapyard...oh, yeah, they do...oddly enough ran by a Zackdorn.

 

[Timo]

I don't think we need to assume the Hathaway had spent all eternity unguarded in an uninhabited star system. She could easily have been towed in for her bit of target practice.

The Ferengi threat was a bit forced, yeah. Why would they attack a mighty Galaxy class ship so openly, just for a suspected rather than confirmed prize? They never were that bold before or since.

Then again, they are probably the best possible enemy for acting like this. A Klingon would have no good reason to do so; a Romulan would only do it as part of a devious scheme. An all-new alien wouldn't work well dramatically, and would be even less susceptible to Worf's trickery.

Although I must point out that Worf's trickery was never quite established to be the exact same thing he had used against the E-D. It could be something else from his spacious sleeves of dirty yet ah so honorable tricks. Not intended as such by the writers, of course, but this interpretation would allow us to fill yet another minor plot hole.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Trekker4747]

Why would they attack a mighty Galaxy class ship so openly, just for a suspected rather than confirmed prize?

I believe the Ferengi Marauder and Galaxy-Class are supposed to be evenly matched.

 

[Timo]

...But humans and Ferengi supposedly aren't, not in terms of initiative and conduct. The Ferengi in "The Last Outpost" weren't willing to confront the pursuing Galaxy, despite their seemingly very effective flashwave weapon. And even technologically speaking, the Ferengi in "Force of Nature" were not able to deal much damage to our heroes, despite apparent honest attempt.

It's still curious, then, that the Ferengi here would challenge not one but two Starfleet vessels, one of which was their apparent match, and only balk at the sight of a third - for what looked like nothing more than another Fed starship in poor condition. Other Ferengi in "The Battle" had already witnessed their DaiMon giving away just such as ship for free and, while a bit miffled, had not considered it high treason or anything...

Perhaps it comes down to personal differences or something. Some Ferengi have been really bold in their piracy attempts, such as those in "Rascals". The more timid sort of Ferengi might be in a minority as far as D'Kora skippers are concerned.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Trekker4747]

Didn't they say they had scanned the Hathaway and knew it had no defensive capability or warp drive?

As for an earlier question on how Worf tricked the Ferengi sensors, not knowing their ship's security codes, it's likely Word "hacked" into their computer and/or SF Intelligence knew some of the Ferengi's security codes/computer vulnerabilites.

Of course, one wonders why this trick is never exploited in any other episode against any other races, unless; I guess; say the Romulans' keep their computer secrets a bit more secure than the Ferengi do.

 

[Balok's Head]

I'd just like to use this moment to point out that I hate it when people say "..our heroes"....Ecch.

 

[Timo]

As for an earlier question on how Worf tricked the Ferengi sensors, not knowing their ship's security codes, it's likely Word "hacked" into their computer and/or SF Intelligence knew some of the Ferengi's security codes/computer vulnerabilites.

Another possibility is that a third Starfleet vessel in fact did arrive at an opportune moment. Worf had the codes to the E-D, not to the Ferengi ship - so when E-D sensors say there is no starship there, but Ferengi sensors say there is, perhaps the Ferengi are correct...

"Great job, Mr. Worf! That trick with the nonexistent starship sure fooled them! There may be a promotion in there for you."
"Uh, ah-"
"What is it, Mr. Worf?"
"Nothing, Sir." (Quietly sends an SMS to USS Splendid, telling them to bugger off and stop cramping his style.)



Timo Saloniemi

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I think it would have been far more plausible to make Kolrami at least a competent strategist instead of such a transparent failure. Worf questioning of the Zakdorn reputation was a good foreshadow that something would arise, but to have Kolrami be so immediately useless strained plausibility of the whole concept. Sure they wanted to get across the idea that without a challenge the Zakdorn's might have grown soft and complacent, but they still had to do something in the recent past to justify that reputation.

 

[Mr Troi]

The Ferengi scanned the Enterprise and worked out that our heroes hadn't raised their shields even though they could detect the Ferengi. The Ferengi took their opportunity and crippled the Enterprise.

Kolrami is just one of those utterly useless individuals who has somehow managed to attain a position of responsibility. I think most people know at least one person like this. I don't know how they manage it but they do.

This was a great episode.