DH Reviews TNG thread

[Distorted Humor]

I am going to watch all 726 episodes of Star Trek, and I am starting on TNG as I need the starting boost to get though some of the early seasons of TNG. (I have watched most of TNG and DS9, and at least half of TOS, but not much VOY or ENT (Just saw one ENT episode, and it was dire, but apparently it was one of the worse ENT episodes)

Will be using a ten point system (Though BOBW part 1 might go all the way to eleven! ) And I cannot promise that I will finish TNG before going off and doing a season of DS9 or VOY to give me a break.

Bold - I remember liking the episode
Underlined - I remember disliking the Episide
* - I do not think I have seen the episode, if I have, I have no memories of it...

"Encounter at Farpoint"
"The Naked Now"
"Code of Honor"
"The Last Outpost"
"Where No One Has Gone Before"
"Lonely Among Us"
"Justice"
"The Battle"
"Hide and Q"
"Haven"
"The Big Goodbye"
"Datalore"
"Angel One"
"11001001" *
"Too Short a Season" *
"When the Bough Breaks"
"Home Soil"
"Coming of Age"
"Heart of Glory"
"The Arsenal of Freedom"
"Symbiosis"
"Skin of Evil"
"We'll Always Have Paris"
"Conspiracy"
"The Neutral Zone"


so... It begins!


"Encounter at Farpoint"

To boldly go, where no man has gone before.

As I put in the DVD, the first reaction is "Wow, I forgot how long ago TNG was." I grew up watching TNG (along with a lot of other people my age) and guess what, I am getting old. Still, unlike a lot of season 1 of TNG, this at least holds up somewhat the test of time. I did get a smile when I saw Colm Meaney as a crew member, who knew that it was the start of one of the longest running characters in star trek? We get to meet the cast, which is strong for the most part. The plot line is something right of TOS, though I will give credit, Q is saved by John de Lancie who knows how to ham it up but be serious when need be. The biggest weakness is that there is no real tension as the audience KNOWS what going on farpoint station, so we wait a long time for the crew to figure it out, then take the high road.

Best Part - Bones in a surprise cameo. It is surprisingly touching and a good send off from the TOS.

Worst Part - Troi, Marina Sirtis didn't know which way to go, and the writers did not as well, I cringed when she speaks. Cute outfit though.

Surprising part - that the effects where better then I remembered, in this pre-CGI era of film making.

Rating 4 out of 10 stars. and I feel generous giving that.

 

[Distorted Humor]

3 down, 723 to go.... (watched the first disk last night)

"The Naked Now"

Ok, the premise for this episode is fun in some ways, and works better that I know how they are supposed to act, so I find it funny them being all out of character. However as the first episode when we really don't know the characters I think this episode had really bad timing. Taking a plot from the TOS is also a bit weak. Also I forgot that they had the "Chief Engineer of the week" for a long time till they settled down that Leforge would be the logical candidate. It really is not as bad as I remembered it being, it has campy charm. I also forgot that Picard in the first few episodes had a little bit of a harder edge. Also, it starts to fall apart about half way though and never recovers.

Best Part - I actually liked the part where we see the Tsiolkovsky crew and they are all frozen and so on. Gives a nice "uh-oh" before it goes down hill...fast

Worse Part - Wesley. I was trying to promise not to hate Wesley Crusher, but it really hard NOT to hate Wesley with this.

Surprising part - is also the part that you remember most from the mostly forgettable episode, Yar finding out that Data is fully functional.

Rating - 2 out of 10 stars.

 

[Distorted Humor]

4 down...722 to go

Code of Honor

Some Episodes might be best forgotten in the mists of time. This episode is just bad. bad to the bone in the worse way. Even having two girls fight to the (apparent) death does not save this. (I was laughing, and making Amok Time sounds at my TV at this point. Dudummm...dadummmm...ok, guess i should stop)

Then again, this is something you would never expect, a racist episode of Star Trek. I mean, I am politically on the right, and don't like things called "Racist" but this is BAD, I was expecting buckwheat to show up. I think this has to rank as one of the most embarrassing episodes of star trek ever. Then again, if they had put non-African american actors as the alien of the week (think it spelled Ligonian or something) it might of not been so racist, but it seemed like a "Voyages to Dark Africa" type adventure. (The blond crew member taken by Africans, o my!) That, and the Ligonians seemed to be inconstant with there technology, where they advanced or primitive, we never really know.

Best Part - Guess the exchange if property and all that. I guess

Worst Part - Most of the episode

Most surprising part - that this episode passed vetting and someone thought it was a good idea.

Rating - ZERO

(Wonder, if I could invent time traveling, how much money I could make selling stories to Star Trek production.)

 

[Distorted Humor]

"The Last Outpost"

Ok, this was really better then I remembered. The Ferengi are just bad (I forgot how much Quark built them back up.) and the idea that the Ferengi are a real threat is sucked dry real fast, but they end up as humor. The ending is very high ground Star Trek, with the nasty humans admitting that we are not great, but acceptable, and in the end all go home free and hopefully a little wiser. Also the joint surrender (where the Enterprise asks for terms, and the Ferengi give terms for there surrender) is chuckle worthy, but not great.

Best Part - Data and his Chinese finger cuffs is cute, and a unique talk between Picard and Crusher on if she should sedate Wesley or not. Of course, this almost sets off my "Families in SPACE!" rant, but I will hold back.

Worse Part - The Ferengi as a threat is eliminated faster then a Honda Civic can go 0-60.

Surprising parts - Perhaps since I have seen it so often, I wasn't really surprised by anything. Perhaps the fact that Picard cusses, in French...imagine that!

Rating - a 5, I almost gave it a 4, but in time it has grown some charm as you have a good simple adventure yarn.

 

[Rom's Sehlat]

Distorted Humor, I would like to hear (read) your "Families in space" rant. You're new, right, so we haven't heard your rant at all. I'm interested in opinions that the holders tend to label "rants." That usually means they are either well thought-out, very strongly-held, very enlightening, and to a lesser degree amusing.

Edit: I would have PMed you, but you don't have that ability yet, apparently...

 

[Distorted Humor]

Distorted Humor, I would like to hear (read) your "Families in space" rant. You're new, right, so we haven't heard your rant at all. I'm interested in opinions that the holders tend to label "rants." That usually means they are either well thought-out, very strongly-held, very enlightening, and to a lesser degree amusing.

Edit: I would have PMed you, but you don't have that ability yet, apparently...

I just joined, so I guess I am limited in what I can do. Such is life. BTW, if anyone wants to agree, disagree, or discuss any issue I bring up, feel free to post, the thread would get awfully boring if I am just posting my views on episode after episode.

Families in SPACE, or why it makes no sense for the Enterprise-D to have family on board.

Starfleet officers at some point will want to have families generally. And many parents may want to have families aboard. However it makes no sense for a ship who primary or secondary feature is defense to have families on board.

If a ship is a science vessel or survey vessel who mode of operation is to run away or hide in case of battle, then having families on board is a next bonus, as it will improve crew moral, allow for long term station keeping, and so on. But if your ship is called upon in case of a emergency, say a borg attack or that some random race is making a border hot with some raids, the last thing you want to do is have a ship that may be called to fight to have children on board. I can even understand "We shipped out childless, and when returned, we had some kids." But the Enterprise, even if its main mission was not military (In TNG it main use was more for diplomatic missions and show the flag) They knew that in times of need a Galaxy Class Starship was going to be pressed into a defensive role. It is reckless and wholly irresponsible to have large number of family members if the enterprise is going to be called to the neutral zone.

On some starships families make SENSE. For example, if the starship USS Distorted Humor is a medical vessel who may have limited self defense abilties, but is not expected to go head to head with a Bird of Prey, then family members may not be a bad idea. Or a survey vessel that might spend years without much contact with starbases.

It is much more reasonable to assume, both logically and what we see, is that most starships are crewed by

1) Single adults
2) Crew members who have families in the general area of operation (For example, the Rutledge<sp> captain had family on the cardassian border area where the Rutledge patrolled. So I am sure he could see his family every few months.

In fact, it seems that one reason why you have a long of young members on the enterprise is that it makes a logical family and job choices.

1- Ship is fitted out, and most of the crew is single or has lost most family connections.
Picard - Forever Single
Dr. Crusher - widow
Laforge, Data, Riker, Troi, Worf, ect - younger and single.

The ship goes out, starts it missions, some crew members are lost, some are gained, being a large ship, it like a small town, and for example, Miles O'brien meets a single Biologist on the enterprise, nature takes it course, they get married. They even had a kid. But most likely as soon as the kid was expected, the O'Brien family was looking for a starbase or other posting that would be more conductive to the family life. Thus a starfleet officer rotates out on starships, then goes to base duty once they start a family. So you would have limited families, both the occasional young family that forms on board, and those who have teenagers or older semi-adults who make the choice to go on board.

I guess I think it just idiotic to have a ship that might be called to blockade the Romulans, or defend from Borg attack, or so on, even in peacetime, have fully planned long term families.

Now some other ships, I could see that this would make a lot of sense. Fighters like say, a C.J. Cherryh novel, or long term non-defense missions it would make some sense to have some family on board. But not the scale shown in early TNG on the enterprise. I just don't buy it.

End rant.

 

[Distorted Humor]

"Where No One Has Gone Before"

Ok, I remember liking this episode, and in many ways, it still not a bad episode. In the end it is a fun adventure story (which is not TNG strongest suit, but does well enough here) and is refreshingly low on techno-babble. Now, the Traveler is well acted, and Wesley for once is not written as a total $#(*$#. (though its annoying that he is the only one who notices the traveler DISSIPATES and then reappears). And the chief propulsion "expert" is played so over the top he is too annoying to love to hate. Also annoying is the random "Weird stuff" once they are far away from home.

After seemly bashing this episode for most of my review, I have to admit, its not a bad 42 mins of entertainment. The rotating Chief is now Argyle, and Wesley the boy wonder is promoted. Yippy.

Best Moment - When the crew relize they are FAR away from home.

Worst Moment - Picard in the turolift.

Surprising moment. - Guess Worf seeing his targ...but that leads to the bad silliness.

Rating - after much thought, I will give it a 7, the premise is very good, but like much of the first season, they just didn't make it work.

 

[BruntFCA]

Just curious what ENT episode did you see?

 

[Distorted Humor]

Just curious what ENT episode did you see?

One of the crew meets a alien, they hold hands under some dirt, he becomes impregnated, there is jokes on the guy doing the whole impregnation thing, then they find the ship with the aliens, all is fixed, (was there also a explanation of the holo-deck too, or was that the end of another episode?)



Tis was BAD.

 

[Distorted Humor]

"Lonely Among Us"

Ok, after two decent episodes, this one falls flat on it face. It is not zero stars bad, but close. It fails to hit at any level and drags on. Not even that many chuckleworthy moments. At least for the A-side story.

The B-side story does cause some laughs with the two aliens trying to hunt down and eat each other in the halls of the enterprise. the B-side is worth three points.

Best moment: "Sorry, Wrong Species!"

Worse Moment - Troi saying Picard wants to be back human, and he though SCIENCE gets back to normal.

Surpise - that Worf once again gets beat up. Still too early to realize that is his role.

Rating 3 out of 10 (all for the B-story)

seven down, 719 to go. up next...Justice

 

[Holdfast]

Always good to have new and enthusiastic posters in the TNG forum; welcome.

One thing worth remembering: there's a general long-standing rule here to try to avoid double and treble-posting (ie posting consecutively, without waiting for replies by others in between). It can come off as - I'm sure unintentionally - spammy, not to mention being the net equivalent of completely dominating a conversation and not letting other people speak. You've got 270+ episodes to get through; please pace yourself and give other people time to get a word in edgeways!

See how Warped9 runs his review thread. As a general rule, he minimises double-posting, often combining episode reviews together into a single post. An occasional double-post once in a blue moon isn't the end of the world, but this thread already has too much of it. Thanks.

 

[Chang]

Just curious what ENT episode did you see?

One of the crew meets a alien, they hold hands under some dirt, he becomes impregnated, there is jokes on the guy doing the whole impregnation thing, then they find the ship with the aliens, all is fixed, (was there also a explanation of the holo-deck too, or was that the end of another episode?)



Tis was BAD.

It's one of the worst episodes for all the series.

 

[Distorted Humor]

Always good to have new and enthusiastic posters in the TNG forum; welcome.

One thing worth remembering: there's a general long-standing rule here to try to avoid double and treble-posting (ie posting consecutively, without waiting for replies by others in between). It can come off as - I'm sure unintentionally - spammy, not to mention being the net equivalent of completely dominating a conversation and not letting other people speak. You've got 270+ episodes to get through; please pace yourself and give other people time to get a word in edgeways!

See how Warped9 runs his review thread. As a general rule, he minimises double-posting, often combining episode reviews together into a single post. An occasional double-post once in a blue moon isn't the end of the world, but this thread already has too much of it. Thanks.

Sorry about that, now that I know that is the rule, I will try to refrain as much as I can from double posting in the future. I will run it closer to what Warped9 is running!

It's one of the worst episodes for all the series.

I can see why, I have to admit after seeing that, it scared me off ENT. Glad to know it gets better. It would be hard to get worse. By the time I get to ENT hopefully netflix will have it on instant.

Multi-Episode reviews follows.

Justice

This episode I was almost tempted to skip, as I have seen it about a dozen times as it seemed to be popular in syndication when I was growing up. However I sat down and watched it.

Start Rant

This is once again one of star trek's "Anti-religion" episodes, and as a man of faith, this annoys the heck out of me. Even if organized religion sometimes needs as many barbs thrown at it

End Rant

Ahem, poor little Wesley beams down to a hedonistic but innocent world, and goes playing with the local kids of Edo. He steps across a white pole, and promptly is almost executed. Many would argue that this would of been a improvement in Star Trek, but Wesley later on redeems himself seasons later with a single very good episode.

Turns out that this law system is from some sort of super-beings live in a starbase in orbit. they made the laws, and Picard talks his way out of the whole issue and they leave, letting the people of the planet forever alone.

It is not a bad episode, but repeat viewings leaves this as well worn.

Best Part - when the away team beams down and is greeted by the Edo, and all the crew reactions. That and the Crusher/data response about motherhood response. A shut up data is always fun.

Worse Part - The fact that by visiting this planet it is a violation of the prime directive. So why did they go to the planet in the first place.

Surprise - That Edo makes singapore look like a lawless society.

Rating 4 out of 10.

---------------------
The Battle

A solid episode, one of the stronger episodes of Season 1, the Ferengi request a meeting with the enterprise, and bring in the Stargazer, the former ship of capt. Picard, and offer it as a gift. (and anyone knows the Ferengi that gift giving is not their strong suit.)

This episode has a lot going for it, it has no B plot to muddle the waters, even though it is a just a revenge tale, it works. This is a strong episode that you can sit back and enjoy, without any glaring holes and even though it has the weakness of that the audience has no suspense on what is causing Picard going slowly nuts, it is still a enjoyable ride.

Best part - Picard in grief, not sure if he was really right in blowing up the Ferengi ship back in his stargazer days. Though the semi-battle bits where good as well

Worse Part - Wesley Crusher "Adults" line. Ugg

Best Surprise - Not going to go over the surprises, in fact, the lack of surprises is the major weakness of this episode, but Patrick Stewarts acting is the lynchpin that holds the first season together. With a Lesser actor it could of gone down hill fast.

Rating 7 out of ten as it is highly entertaining. Just a bit shallow.

That is the last for today, I am trying to slog though the first season quickly so I don't loose interest before I get to some of the better episodes that come later.

9 down, 717 to go. Up next is Hide and Q, which I remember as dire except for about ten seconds. I will have to see if a new viewing will lead me to a new opinion. But that will be Tuesday or Wednesday.

DH - who will make sure he does not doublepost!

 

[Rom's Sehlat]

There's a TNG episode that mentions the whole "Family on starships" thing. It's a good episode in my opinion: "Rascals." I can't wait for your review on it...

 

[Distorted Humor]

There's a TNG episode that mentions the whole "Family on starships" thing. It's a good episode in my opinion: "Rascals." I can't wait for your review on it...

Well I will get to it, and if I recall correctly, there is another one where Molly gets born that Picard is stuck with helping some kids.

And thanks for posting, so I can post some more reviews

Hide and Q

After one of the first season classics, this episode just fails. There is a good idea in it, as the story is as old as Faust, however this is one of the worse episodes as it falls into silly-ness. Then it gets serious as they start killing crew (Of course, they will be alright at the end of the episode.) However, there is a shining moment in this episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcPi-kGZvD4

Perhaps that is cruel, but that is the best part of the episode. Though I am sure it was a bit shocking for a 1987 show to have the teenager run though like that.

Best Part - Wesley does something stupid, and gets killed (of course, he not REALLY dead.) Ok, I am being mean, Laforge getting a few moments of normal sight is very sweet.

Worst Part - a lot of parts are dire in this episode. There is the Klingon women for Worf, the worst match up of adult to teen actors in the history of Unionized TV, but I will have to go with the pig like aliens in Napoleonic outfits. What is this? Threshold?

Surprise or noteworthy - When Data turns around as Q, it is surprisingly effective.

Rating 1

Haven

This is another clunker of a episode. The writers did not know what to do with Troi at this point, and it shows. It is not structured badly, it just never catches my attention and it plods along. This might been better in a later season when we know the characters more. The humor seems cheap, and Star Trek has a hard time doing love stories, and this one creaks from one commercial break to the next. In the end the young medic goes with the alien of the week who are dying of a plague, and Riker and Troi might be together in the future.

Best Part - Mr. Homn is good for a smile or three. Something about him is very uniquely TNG/Star Trek.

worst part - The listful pace of the episode, if feels like a funeral, not a wedding epsiode.

Surprise/Noteworthy bits - Troi will call Riker "Bill"

Rating - 3

The Big Goodbye

Now the Holodeck stories have been done to death, however, I will give credit to this, this is the first Holodeck story, so I will give it a pass that I won't give other episodes due to the fact that this is the episode that made the Mold, and most are variations of this episode.

Now, a nice hardboiled detective story can be fun, and this is a reasonable amount of fun in this episode. It has a fun tone, for much of the episode the charicters don't know anything is wrong, and are enjoying every bit of it. (and I have to admit, while the Holodeck concept got stale, I doubt many wouldn't have fun being in a holodeck.

The plot is simple enough, some of the crew is in the holodeck, safety limits are breached, and suddenly its deadly serious instead of just fun and games. The B plot is that at a set time for diplomacy Picard has to say a exact phrase. Which helps put a time limit and this proper tension that this episode needed, along with guest star of the week slowly bleeding out due to a gangster bullet. (With sudden horrid thoughts on if Quintin Tarantino directed it, we would see him suffer for most of the show, and Data would loose a ear.)

This is also suprisingly good, Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner acting chops is what keeps the first season alive, and Gates Mcfadden suddenly doesn't have to be the overprotective mom, and this leads to a episode that is just fun.

Best Part - Picard smiling as he being interrogated, thinking this is great fun. (Kinda Ironic what happens just a few years later) or his "Step on it" to close the episode.

Worst Part - Wesley is still the Boy wonder. The bad thing is that the Wesley character wouldn't be bad if he was written better, but first season writing was poor many times.

Noteworthy bit - You could tell the Cast had a lot of fun with this episode. And it shows as it has a little more energy then some of the other episodes. Even if this plot line became trite later on, I will not punish it as this is the first one, later episodes will not be so lucky.

Rating - 6

Half way though season 1. The Battle and "Where no man Has gone before" with the high scores, and the Naked Now and Code of Honor dragging up the rear.

Edit: as to not doublepost

The series so far is not bad, but not very good. So far Patrick Stewart is holding the series together with his fine acting chops, and their is some Gems. Wesley Crusher and Troi however are dire, and Dr. Crusher as a overprotective mother is also very tiresome. As a note, Easter Break means a lot of free time, and I Might be moving rather quickly though TNG into season two, but no one was indicating they are watching it with me. Please post your responses if you think I am dumb thinking a show is that bad, that good, or bland. Also let me know if you want any views on details of any shows.

My flexible schedule of watching is
Tonight - Datalore, Angel One, 11001001 (Which will be a new episode for me), and Too Short of a Season (Which I do not remember seeing) (that is about 2 1/2 hours of watching, as each episode is about 42 mins long once you skip the commercials and opening sequence)
Thursday - When the Bough Breaks (I have to work late Thursday night)
Friday I have off work, and I plan to finish Season one Friday.

 

[RAMA]

Not sure if you heard the reasoning Bob Justman gave for having families aboard, so I will re-iterate it for your perusal...

The first season of STNG as conceived had the Enterprise as a ship of exploration, to a great extent this continued through the series, but was reflected early on the most. They had made peace with the Klingons and the Ferengi were not openly hostile. The missions of the much larger Enterprise-D were to last 20 years as opposed to 5. So much like the first settlers of America, they were to bring their families with them, facing danger and the unknown boldly...

Glad to see you corrected the worse/worst part thing...

RAMA

 

[Distorted Humor]

Not sure if you heard the reasoning Bob Justman gave for having families aboard, so I will re-iterate it for your perusal...

The first season of STNG as conceived had the Enterprise as a ship of exploration, to a great extent this continued through the series, but was reflected early on the most. They had made peace with the Klingons and the Ferengi were not openly hostile. The missions of the much larger Enterprise-D were to last 20 years as opposed to 5. So much like the first settlers of America, they were to bring their families with them, facing danger and the unknown boldly...

Glad to see you corrected the worse/worst part thing...

RAMA

Opps on the Worse/worst (I have a classic, textbook case of dysgraphia, I had a hard time tying shoes, Cross dominate hands, handwriting is actually painful to me, and so on. ) even if that no excuse, (let me know if I do bad, I will correct it.)

As for the children, I understand the idea, it was a cool concept, but it ended up falling flat, I am not sure if it due to the actual concept, or it just didn't work for me.

Thank you RAMA for replying, that means I can post more reviews without Double-posting! And I am going with a slightly modified format of my reviews.

"Datalore"

Plot Synopsis: Going to where Data was built, the ruined colony site reveals Data long lost (evil) brother Lore.

Opinion: This passes as a solid episode for the first season, which had some ugly episodes. However the only thing that really shocks you is when Dr. Crusher is hit. The rest of it is somewhat formulaic, with Wesley beaming out Lore.

Best Part: Seeing Data and Lore in the same cut, that is still a fun trick to see, and I am sure that Brent Spiner had a ton of fun playing Lore.

The not so best part: Argyle, TNG missed a bullet by not having him as Chief Engineer, as it was if anything, already a crowded cast.

Rating 5 out of 10

"Angel One"

Plot Synopsis: Missing ship is found by society that is led by Women. Hijinks ensue.

Opinion: This is a bad episode, I think that not only was the concept poor, but the carrying out the idea was even worse, and it comes off as sexist even when it was intended not to be. This is something worthy of a high school play, not Star Trek.

Best Part: Riker's outfit on the planet, or the nice touch where they had all the men as small, short men and the women as tall to give impression that the women where stronger and tougher then the males on the world.

No so Best Part: Most of the rest of the Episode

Rating 1 out of 10. It a three Dire wolf howler in fact.

"11001001"

Plot Synopsis: Riker finds love on the holodeck, while little cute aliens try to hijack the Enterprise-D to save there world.

Opinion: I had not seen this episode, so I looked at it with fresh eyes, and all in all, it was not a great or bad episode, but it not highly entertaining. Star Trek has a hard time with love stories one way or another, though I have to admit that Minuet would be fun to meet in a bar or a Holodeck. the Bynars (The cute little aliens) are a nice idea for a Alien of the week, speaking to each other in Binary. Just remember, there are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who do not.

Best Part: Riker heartbreak when Minuet is not Minuet anymore.

The not so best Part: I really disliked Picard's speech near the end. Even Stewart couldn't save it.

Rating - 4 out of 10.

"Too Short a Season"

Plot Synopsis: A Admiral takes heavy amounts of youth drugs to prep to meet a old rival in a hostage negotiations.

Opinion: I was looking forward to this, as I had not seen this episode, and after 201 (That is what the last episode is in decimal) I was hoping that this episode might be another fun one. Boy was I wrong.

Season one is a roller-coaster, some of its good, some of its bad, and this episode is very bad, and its not so bad that its campy fun, which means it is almost unwatchable. I would rather watch Shades of Grey. No joke. I was tempted to go put on Yesterday Enterprise to wash my brain of this bad episode.

Best Part: when the annoying Admiral keels over to his doom. I cheered.

The not so best part: Rest of the episode.

Rating: 1 out of 10

"When the Bough Breaks"

Plot Synopsis: The Enterprise finds a long lost world, who kidnapped some of the children from the enterprise and does not plan to give them back, and Picard will have to talk his way out of this mess.

Opinion: This episode works for a change, the guest stars are good actors, and while they are villains, they are not evil, just desperate. Even the kid actors are not shamefully bad. I cannot say much good about this episode, but not much bad about this episode as well, and it shows what TNG became famous for, that in many cases we can talk our way out of problems without phasers, Photon torpedoes, and so on. Slow by today standards, but in 1988 this was not slow. Just that we have become ADD that have a hard time following a story that longer then ten seconds.

Best Part: the Guest Stars really shine, and the kids, which could of been awful, do decently well. The couple dolphin part is still touching to this day.

Not so Best parts: nothing really stands out, but a lot of little things that don't run well in a show that was still getting it's legs.

Rating 5 out of 10

"Home Soil"

Plot Synopsis: The enterprise goes to a tarraforming base, a bad things happen to the ugly giant bags of mostly water. Turns out there is a very Alien form of life on the world, and the terra-forming is killing them.

Opinion: I didn't remember the episode as being very good, but it has aged well. Has a TOS feel to it, and at points is very strong when the action is taking place down at the base. The action on the ship drags along for the most part. I also enjoyed the fact that the Terra-formers have the personality of the most annoying god complexes, which they might very well have. It would of played better as more horror and less mystery, parts of it feels almost Andromeda strain.

Best Part: Ugly giant bags of mostly water -- This line makes me laugh every time.

Not so Best part: on ship bits just failed to impress.

Rating: 4 out of 10

That is it for now - I am starting to get into the final stretch of the first season, and I do remember liking the last two episodes of Season 1. Eight more episodes then off to Season 2.

 

[sutindaya]

Will be using a ten point system (Though BOBW part 1 might go all the way to eleven! ) And I cannot promise that I will finish TNG before going off and doing a season of DS9 or VOY to give me a break.

 

[RAMA]

OK, well you have some very martial ratings there...Datalore is an episode I particularly like, in part because there are very few episodes on television that put together visuals, music, story and atmosphere that to me transcends the medium...to me Datalore is one. I also like how part of the episode deals with Positronics and how it makes Data unique. I think "11001001" is another one. "Homesoil" is underrated in my book...it could have been better, but even though it had similarties with some TOS episodes, I really enjoyed the concept of a planet-wide, non-organic sentient computer and the episode employed several good scenes, including one on the bridge to convey it.

I'm not going to convert my ratings but here are mine for season one:

RAMA

 

[TrekAlliance92]

Wow. I love "11001001" and consider it one TNG's finest episodes of the entire series. It's got a sweeping, almost theatrical scale. It has a unique sci-fi species in the Bynars, a terrific action sequence in the theft of the Enterprise, some great intrigue, and beautiful visuals with the Starbase. This is all combined with one of Ron Jones' best orchestral scores. (The scene where the Enterprise returns back to Starbase at the end with the sweeping use of the TNG theme is pitch-perfect.) My rating: 10/10

And, while it's not great, "Too Short a Season" isn't too bad. It has some solid action in it. My Rating: 6.5/10 And, yes, I'm one of the ones who considers "Angel One" a fair guilty pleasure episode. My Rating: 6.5/10 I never cared for "Datalore" though, except the awesome opening music cue that combines to the TOS and TNG fanfares.