"Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek tribute?

[patlandness]

Yes, I know, I did something similar to this earlier this year, but I wanted to refine this a little to be more fair. Both of these episodes are EXCELLENT Four Star out of Four Star episodes, and yet are spectacularly different in as a Trek tribute. One's a drama; one's a comedy. One's about the Trekkian philosophy; the other's a loving nostalgia-fest.

And I think comparing these two episodes *really* shows where the Trek franchise's future is going (of course I could be wrong).

(Note: Let's try not to make this a TNG vs DS9 pissing contest).

 

[Brutal Strudel]

I always thought "Darmok" was overrated. "T&T," otoh, was a hoot--I actually like it more than the original, which is damn near sacrilege for an old TOser like me. I also really like the original series...

 

[GreenBlood]

I vote Trials and Tribs.

 

[Michael]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

Love "Darmok" but there isn't much that can beat "Trials And Tribble-ations" ...

 

[TeutonicNights]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

TAT for me

 

[patlandness]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

Wow, not a single voice (besides me) for "Darmok"?

 

[Unicron]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

Well, I'll break the mold and vote "Darmok" as the better ep. Don't get me wrong, TAT is okay but I've never found it to be a particularly great ep. The story is only average and it seems like the producers were more interested in finding a way to recycle/merge TOS footage to celebrate the 30th anniversary. It's a nice idea, but I would have preferred a different approach.

 

[tomalak301]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

I don't get the comparison. Trials really was a tribute to original trek, but Darmok had nothing to do with original trek. It's like comparing apples to orenges.

 

[Anwar]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

The OP doesn't mean "Tribute to Trek" in that it's a tribute to TOS, he means a tribute to the spirit of Trek.

 

[patlandness]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

au contraire, I meant to Trek, not just to TOS.

I guess what I'm trying to get at in this comparison is to see what we value more as Trek fans: nostalgia for things past or exploration of human questions in a dramatic format.

Star Trek XI seems to have answered my question, though.

 

[Orac]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

The monster in Darmok ripped Picard's shirt in a very similar fashion to the way Spock ripped Kirk's shirt in Amok Time, I'm pretty sure that was meant to be a tribute to TOS.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

Darmok was the deeper episode, that's for sure.

 

[Colonel Green]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

Darmok all the way. T&T was just a gimmick ep, albeit a well executed one.

 

[ktanner3]

I think Relics would have been a better choice as far as trek tributes go. I've always felt Darmok was an overated episode. Trials and Tribleations by a mile.

 

[Terra Pryme]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

"Darmok" seemed more of a tribute to the Predator movies than TOS. The alien monster was certainly similar to them. "T&T" much more qualifies as the better tribute to TOS. With Kirk's crew and the Enterprise, it's no contest.

 

[patlandness]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

^^
Again, I said "a tribute to Trek" not just TOS. It' the Alpha of Trek, but it's not the Omega.

To me this is going to be the problem with Trek XI. It's going to be nothing more than revisiting old nostalgic haunts like Enterprise's last season, rather than sticking to a philosophy, *any* philosophy and you know...EXPLORING and SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION with CREATIVITY.

I've had my issues with DS9, but when all was said and done, Ira Behr and Co. put out a good, quality product and expanded on the Trek Universe. What's come after doesn't come close.

"Trials and Tribble-ations" was a delicious dessert for the 30th Anniversary. But you can't *LIVE* on dessert. "Darmok" (and episodes like it) had nutritional value to keep the Trek franchise thriving for a while longer.

It's a shame that Paramount and lot of Trek fans don't see that.

 

[blakbyrd]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

"Trials and Tribble-ations", still love "Darmok", though.

 

[MyCylon]

"Trials" for me. It's not a very deep episode but it has all the humor and fun that is or IMHO should always be part of Trek at some point. Yes, I want the moral dilemmas, conflicts etc. but every now and then I also want the fun. And that's where this episode delivers in spades. So much, in fact, that it's very rewatchable IMHO.

I think "Darmok" is ok but in hindsight I find the premise to be a problem. The message that they're tying to transport is somewhat marred by the feeling that it seems silly (to me anyway) that the universal translator happens not to work here or works in a way that causes the alien captain to keep spouting out seemingly random words. They happen to come together as metaphors so that Picard can understand them and finally piece together what the alien is trying to say (which is another contrivance IMHO).

Also, I think the episode isn't all that deep, really. Yes, it's got a nice message but IMHO that's about it. It could be summed up far more easily and to the point and not so dragged out as is the case here.

The more I think about it, the more I think this poll is a bit problematic. As I mentioned, "Trials" represents one part of what I like about Trek as a whole or what I expect from Trek. To really represent all the different aspects, you'd need more than just one episode per show, I think.
So, for example, if I were choosing episodes from DS9, I'd probably name shows such as "Emissary" (the human condition is closely examined), "Duet" (taught person-to-person drama stemming from major historical events), "The Visitor" (an intimate personal drama), "Call to Arms" (or many others from S5 - 7 with sweeping political and military changes), "In the Pale Moonlight" (political and moral drama), and, finally something like "Trials" (as mentioned: fun).

I really think you can't boil it down to just one episode per show.

 

[patlandness]

Justtoyourleft said:
"Trials" for me. It's not a very deep episode but it has all the humor and fun that is or IMHO should always be part of Trek at some point. Yes, I want the moral dilemmas, conflicts etc. but every now and then I also want the fun. And that's where this episode delivers in spades. So much, in fact, that it's very rewatchable IMHO.

I think "Darmok" is ok but in hindsight I find the premise to be a problem. The message that they're tying to transport is somewhat marred by the feeling that it seems silly (to me anyway) that the universal translator happens not to work here or works in a way that causes the alien captain to keep spouting out seemingly random words. They happen to come together as metaphors so that Picard can understand them and finally piece together what the alien is trying to say (which is another contrivance IMHO).

Also, I think the episode isn't all that deep, really. Yes, it's got a nice message but IMHO that's about it. It could be summed up far more easily and to the point and not so dragged out as is the case here.

The more I think about it, the more I think this poll is a bit problematic. As I mentioned, "Trials" represents one part of what I like about Trek as a whole or what I expect from Trek. To really represent all the different aspects, you'd need more than just one episode per show, I think.
So, for example, if I were choosing episodes from DS9, I'd probably name shows such as "Emissary" (the human condition is closely examined), "Duet" (taught person-to-person drama stemming from major historical events), "The Visitor" (an intimate personal drama), "Call to Arms" (or many others from S5 - 7 with sweeping political and military changes), "In the Pale Moonlight" (political and moral drama), and, finally something like "Trials" (as mentioned: fun).

I really think you can't boil it down to just one episode per show.

And the premise for "T&T" isn't contrived? How do I count the ways?

As for the silliness. It's no more silly than any a number of TOS episodes (like ending of "The Omega Glory" for instance). But there's a deeper truth beneath that silliness (which has a charm all its own)--and that's one of the elements that has kept Trek afloat for over 40 years...

 

[Deleted 2]

Re: "Darmok" vs "Trials and Tribble-ations" better Trek trib

I'll take "Darmok" over any other Star Trek episode made after 1987 (and quite a few made before that time), but T&T really epitomizes the kind of inconsequential, inward-turned Star Trek I care very little for.