Your citations don't really qualify as back-and-forth banter with other people here. They're just links to other blog sites, and your posts here seem to be little different than blogging.
Despite franchise fatigue, older Star Trek shows have a high degree of original plots. Minimal use of Recycled Plots.
Your citations don't really qualify as back-and-forth banter with other people here. They're just links to other blog sites, and your posts here seem to be little different than blogging.
I thought you were referring to Forbidden Planet.
I've watched all of TOS, TNG, ENT and SNW, and large numbers of the others.
Haven't seen an original story yet.
I will point out that while aired, canonical ST rarely recycles plots, the Bantam era novels got into a rut in which nearly every other book was a variation on "Kirk & Co. poke their noses into something they don't understand, and a superbeing kicks their asses."
And then there's the totally unrelated sitcom, Three's Company: back when it was on the air, it only took me a few episodes to realize that almost every single episode had a plot of "somebody sees/hears something wrong, leading to an unbelievably stupid misunderstanding." And I can think of nothing (other than the "cutesy sex" gags) that could have kept that one-note on the air for eight seasons and multiple cast changes. It may have paid John Ritter's bills, but having seen him in a few other roles, I can definitely say it was a waste of his acting chops.
Compared with Three's Company (not to mention a whole plethora of more recent sitcoms, most of which I had the sense to ignore, sometimes completely sight-unseen), ST is a paragon of originality.
And then there's the totally unrelated sitcom, Three's Company: back when it was on the air, it only took me a few episodes to realize that almost every single episode had a plot of "somebody sees/hears something wrong, leading to an unbelievably stupid misunderstanding." And I can think of nothing (other than the "cutesy sex" gags) that could have kept that one-note on the air for eight seasons and multiple cast changes. It may have paid John Ritter's bills, but having seen him in a few other roles, I can definitely say it was a waste of his acting chops.
Compared with Three's Company (not to mention a whole plethora of more recent sitcoms, most of which I had the sense to ignore, sometimes completely sight-unseen), ST is a paragon of originality.
The time of Captain Kirk's second five-year mission is a great opportunity for storytelling.
Both TOS and Phase II have quite a few undeveloped scripts. I think there's an opportunity to adapt them from their respective TOS TV and Phase II settings to the early TMP era.
VOY (Part 2)
So far, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and another copycat has the correct episode change for reference.
VOY 2-17 Dreadnought
From TOS 2-24 The Ultimate Computer
"Torres has to confront one of her old demons, literally. They did a very good job with the sets on dreadnought, it looked very Cardassian. I felt like I was watching a DS9 episode during some parts of it, which is no small compliment indeed! And Torres puts up yet another spectacular performance. There are parallels between this episode and TOS: The Ultimate Computer, as well as other Star Trek episodes. The behavior of Dreadnought's computer reminds me somewhat of 2001: A Space Odyssey."
Star Trek: Voyager reviews — season 2 | SpaceOpera.com
spaceopera.com
VOY 2-18 Death Wish
From TNG 4-13 Devil's Due
Better than Original
"It's fascinating to see plenty of similarities between "Death Wish" and "Devil's Due" from TNG. Both of them involve legal cases where someone claiming to be a god is the plaintiff. Both of them involve legal cases where a main cast character has to be a judge. Both of them involve attempted enticement of the main cast lead by the god claimant in the legal case. Both of them also involve attempted seduction of the main cast lead by the god claimant in the legal case. Both of them involve a ruling favoring the defendant over the god claimant."
"Death Wish" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 2-23 The Thaw
From DS9 1-10 Move Along Home
Better than Original
"The Thaw has been compared to Move Along Home but where that was one of DS9’s major missteps, The Thaw is one of Voyager’s finest hours. Michael McKean gives a sterling performance as the ringmaster of his own little circus of horrors. And I was reminded of It as well. Much like Pennywise, the Kohl computer took their fears and turned them into the Clown that he then uses to prey upon his victims. In fact the ending of The Thaw is far superior to the way the It miniseries ended. Who didn’t feel chills when Fear vanishes into oblivion while the holographic Janeway just looks on?"
VOY 3-10 Warlord
From DS9 1-9 The Passenger
Better than Original
"The plot of the episode resembles DS9: "The Passenger"."
"As for the story itself, it shares its premise with DS9's The Passenger, as an evil tyrant transfers his mind into Kes. This gives Jennifer Lien a chance to play something totally different. Where Kes is almost zen-like in her patience and demeanor, the tyrant Tieran is manic, violent and mercurial. She pulls it off, though there are a couple of over the top moments, but they're to be expected."
Star Trek 512: Warlord
siskoid.blogspot.com
VOY 3-12 Macrocosm
From TNG 6-18 Starship Mine
"I don’t buy it when people write off Starship Mine as a piece of action fluff alone because there is enough character work in the first fifteen minutes to give this piece a whole lot of charm. Voyager attempted to carbon copy this episode in Macrocosm but forget to add any of the delightful comedy moments and genuine dynamism that might have sweetened the pot."
TNG – Starship Mine
Plot – Die Hard in space? This is probably the best version of this story that Trek has done. It’s hardly taxing in the brains department ...
docohobigfinish.blogspot.com
VOY 3-15 Coda
From TNG 5-24 The Next Phase
"I actually enjoy the Groundhog Day-esque opening. I wish they had stuck with that concept. Which is why I think the rest of the episode falters signficantly. The urgency of the early scenes is lost as the story shifts to this Janeway looks at the crew mourning her loss series of scenes (which The Next Phase did better with Ro Laren, by having her rediscover Bajoran spirituality)."
Star Trek: Voyager Rewatch: "Coda" - Reactor
“Coda” Written by Jeri Taylor Directed by Nancy Malone Season 3, Episode 15 Production episode 158 Original air date: January 29, 1997 Stardate: 50518.6 Captain’s log. Neelix intercepts Janeway en route to a shuttle mission, geebling about Talent Night—and also asking that, when they do it...
reactormag.com
TNG's The Next Phase would end up copied twice, once here on VOY and the other on ENT.
VOY 3-16 Blood Fever
From TOS 2-1 Amok Time
""Blood Fever" is basically "Amok Time" in the Delta Quadrant, where a Vulcan does not have the luxury to return home to take a spouse. This is not an extremely deep episode of Voyager, but it is effective on its own terms. The best single-word recap for this episode may be "entertaining." Then again, words like "shallow" and "glib" also come to mind."
"Blood Fever" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 3-20 Favorite Son
From TNG 4-18 Identity Crisis
"I’d say the species from TNG: “Identity Crisis” and VGR: “Favorite Son” are even more similar. They both genetically altered aliens to turn into their own species and gave them a programmed imperative to return home. So the Trek writers were returning to a familiar well by this point."
Star Trek: Enterprise Rewatch: "Extinction" - Reactor
“Extinction” Written by André Bormanis Directed by LeVar Burton Season 3, Episode 3 Production episode 055 Original air date: September 24, 2003 Date: unknown Captain’s star log. We open on a planet where one set of aliens (each wearing some manner of EVA/Hazmat suit) tracks down another set of...
reactormag.com
I cited an episode review for ENT's Extinction here because of an anecdote in the Fifty Year Mission book. TNG's Identity Crisis was a La Forge episode. This episode was copied the first time in VOY's Favorite Son. It was then copied the second time in ENT's Extinction. The Fifty Year Mission book had an anecdote of the ENT cast being impressed by the earlier VOY story, but a director with a TNG background didn't like the later episodes. That director was LeVar Burton.
Having parallel tracks of thinking between one episode and another doesn't qualify it as a copycat. I'd be very careful about throwing around these accusations of copying, because the reasoning continues to be flawed.
I don't think it's going to listen to you.
I was here when Star Trek: Enterprise came out. Among the group of recycled plots, ENT was all the rage here, so they're much easier to attribute than Star Trek: Voyager.
I think that, while ENT Similitude wasn't as good, ENT Doctor's Orders was better than its VOY precedent.
ENT will get its turn of review quotes.
Respectfully, I think you are misusing the phrase "recycled plots." Many things you have cited have some common elements, maybe even a similar premise, but are not a recycled plot. IMHO, Trek overall has actually done very few true recycled plots. This isn't The A-Team where every episode is essentially the same formula over and over again. Sure, you can cite some similarities between "The Changeling" and Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but to call the actual plot recycled is quite a stretch.
Star Trek's definitely a pulp storytelling engine with all the tropes and stock plots you'd expect, but I think there have been some real moments of originality (unless we expand the definition of a plot framework out to something abstract enough to cover everything, like "a situation unfolds" or "a character attempts to achieve something").
I was thinking not long ago that "Devil in the Dark" has surprisingly little precedent in prior genre fiction - a hero sets out to kill a monster and not only winds up actively defending its life, but explicitly realises his starting position was the problem. You could stretch and be like "aha, what about Gilgamesh and Enkidu or Androcles and the Lion", but in terms of what the story actually is, it's hard to think of any precedent I know of.
Some of the very sci-fi-reliant stories especially - I don't think there's really any precedent for "Tuvix" (unless, again, we make the plot framework something all-encompassing like "a character must make a choice" or "someone sacrifices something").
VOY (Part 3)
After this part, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference.
VOY 3-22 Real Life
From TNG 3-16 The Offspring
This is the Doctor trauma episode followed up on 800 years later in Starfleet Academy. Still:
"Obviously, the biggest inspiration for Real Life is TNG’s The Offspring. The EMH building and learning to have a family is a beat by beat take on what TNG did with Data building Lal. And I think that’s Real Life‘s biggest problem. The Offspring consciously framed much of that story around Lal’s point of view. Her working with Guinan and learning to grasp with unexpected emotions are what made that episode special. Real Life would have been a top 5 Voyager episode, had they built it around the EMH”s family instead of him."
reactormag.com
VOY 4-7 Scientific Method
From TNG 6-5 Schisms
"Scientific Method is essentially Voyager’s take on TNG’s Schisms, both being episodes in which the crew become medical test subjects without their knowledge or prior consent."
galaxycats.wordpress.com
VOY 5-8 Nothing Human
From TNG 5-16 Ethics
"I think the best comparison for this episode is TNG's Ethics, another s5 Klingon crew member injured/medical ethics show. [...] The episode works for me where Nothing Human doesn't, despite being a little overloaded, because it does have a number of fleshed-out perspectives (Worf, Beverly, Riker, Picard, Deanna, Alexander, Russell) and largely it all follows organically from the one inciting event of Worf's injury."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 5-14 Bliss
Old: From TNG 2-2 Where Silence Has Lease
Correction: From TOS 2-18 The Immunity Syndrome
Better than the Original
"Overall, not a huge fan of "Bliss" -- it plays kind of like a fairytale and I just have trouble suspending my disbelief for a creature like TOS's "The Immunity Syndrome" being able to toy so effectively and deceive nearly an entire starship. That's a bit much. This episode is nothing compared to TOS's giant space amoeba episode."
www.jammersreviews.com
After this part, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference.
VOY 3-22 Real Life
From TNG 3-16 The Offspring
This is the Doctor trauma episode followed up on 800 years later in Starfleet Academy. Still:
"Obviously, the biggest inspiration for Real Life is TNG’s The Offspring. The EMH building and learning to have a family is a beat by beat take on what TNG did with Data building Lal. And I think that’s Real Life‘s biggest problem. The Offspring consciously framed much of that story around Lal’s point of view. Her working with Guinan and learning to grasp with unexpected emotions are what made that episode special. Real Life would have been a top 5 Voyager episode, had they built it around the EMH”s family instead of him."
Star Trek: Voyager Rewatch: "Real Life" - Reactor
“Real Life” Written by Harry Doc. Kloor and Jeri Taylor Directed by Anson Williams Season 3, Episode 22 Production episode 164 Original air date: April 23, 1997 Stardate: 50836.2 Captain’s log. We open in what feels like a parody of a 1950s sitcom household, as a perky blonde housewife named...
reactormag.com
VOY 4-7 Scientific Method
From TNG 6-5 Schisms
"Scientific Method is essentially Voyager’s take on TNG’s Schisms, both being episodes in which the crew become medical test subjects without their knowledge or prior consent."
The Great Star Trek Voyager Rewatch: Scientific Method
Something’s amiss aboard Voyager. Tom and B’Elanna can barely keep their hands off each other, whilst Janeway is suffering from terrible headaches that make her grumpy and irritable. But when myste…
galaxycats.wordpress.com
VOY 5-8 Nothing Human
From TNG 5-16 Ethics
"I think the best comparison for this episode is TNG's Ethics, another s5 Klingon crew member injured/medical ethics show. [...] The episode works for me where Nothing Human doesn't, despite being a little overloaded, because it does have a number of fleshed-out perspectives (Worf, Beverly, Riker, Picard, Deanna, Alexander, Russell) and largely it all follows organically from the one inciting event of Worf's injury."
"Nothing Human" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 5-14 Bliss
Old: From TNG 2-2 Where Silence Has Lease
Correction: From TOS 2-18 The Immunity Syndrome
Better than the Original
"Overall, not a huge fan of "Bliss" -- it plays kind of like a fairytale and I just have trouble suspending my disbelief for a creature like TOS's "The Immunity Syndrome" being able to toy so effectively and deceive nearly an entire starship. That's a bit much. This episode is nothing compared to TOS's giant space amoeba episode."
"Bliss" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY (Part 4)
So far, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference.
VOY 5-22 Someone to Watch Over Me
From DS9 6-20 His Way
Better than the Original
"Someone to Watch Over Me feels smarter and more human than the romantic comedies that it is emulating. In fact, Someone to Watch Over Me feels more emotionally realistic than the the courtship between Odo and Kira in His Way. Odo repeatedly betrayed Kira’s trust in the years leading up to their relationship, most notably through the actions of his future self in Children of Time or his collaboration with the Dominion in Behind the Lines. However, the writers tried to brush past all that with an off-screen conversation in You Are Cordially Invited… It never felt earned."
VOY 5-23 11:59
From DS9 6-13 Far Beyond the Stars
"As with Someone to Watch Over Me, there is a sense that 11:59‘s closest spiritual companion is an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. There are any number of superficial similarities between 11:59 and Far Beyond the Stars, another time-travel-to-close-to-modern-day-Earth-episode-without-the-time-travel. Sadly, the experiment does not quite work out. Someone to Watch Over Me is one of the most charming episodes in the seven-season run of Voyager, while 11:59 is more than a little dull. Far Beyond the Stars is one of the most powerful and evocative episodes of Star Trek ever produced, while 11:59 is a competent piece of television that is almost immediately dated."
VOY 5-25 Warhead
Not Recycled in Same Series
From TOS 2-3 The Changeling
"It is not too difficult to imagine a version of Warhead written for the original Star Trek, in which James Tiberius Kirk finds himself tasked with outwitting a weapon of mass destruction. There are certainly shades of this story to classic episodes like The Changeling or The Doomsday Machine. In many ways, Voyager harked back to the aesthetic of classic Star Trek, in terms of its storytelling and its interests. Warhead is far from Voyager‘s only episode about self-aware weapons of war; the second season featured episodes like Prototype and Dreadnought."
VOY 6-4 Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy
From TNG 3-21 Hollow Pursuits
Better than the Original
"The scenarios the Doctor dreams up are funny, too! I agree with some of the above posters that this is like TNG's "Hollow Pursuits" except that the Doctor's pursuits actually end up being used to Voyager's advantage. This makes the entertainment all the more relevant."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 6-07 Dragon's Teeth
From TOS 1-24 Space Seed
Better than the Original
"The plot of this episode bears a striking similarity to the TOS episode "Space Seed", the episode which introduced famed villain Khan. In both episodes, the crew find and revive a group of people from long-term suspended animation and treat them with hospitality, only for their new guests to turn against them and attempt a hostile takeover."
"Dragon’s Teeth” has only two fundamental problems. The first is its derivative nature. “Dragon’s Teeth” is the Star Trek: Voyager reworking of Star Trek’s “Space Seed” (reviewed here!). Like “Space Seed,” the Federation reawakens an army – starting with the leader – who attempt to take their ship to go and conquer the galaxy. The only other issue with “Dragon’s Teeth” is that it is not ambitious enough in its timeframe."
wlswarts.blogspot.com
VOY 6-12 Blink of an Eye
From TOS 3-11 Wink of an Eye
Better than the Original
""Blink of an Eye" is a compelling hour of Voyager, and it might've seemed like a truly original sci-fi concept if it weren't for the fact the basic premise was made into an episode of original Trek more than 31 years ago. Is this new episode an homage, an updated retelling, or a blatant plundering of already-used ideas? I'm inclined to use the phrase "updated retelling." One gets the sense that this story might've been intended to seem fresh to new-Trek fans who were not familiar with the original premise; at the same time, the fact that the title has barely been changed (the TOS episode was called "Wink of an Eye") is a hint that maybe the writers were consciously, if quietly, acknowledging their source material."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 6-14 Memorial
From VOY 3-6 Remember
"The plot of this episode is similar to that of the third season's "Remember" – Voyager personnel (in that case, just one – in this case, many) experience a terrible past event as if it were their own memories, after eyewitness accounts of the atrocity are telepathically implanted into their brains in the hopes that anyone who went through such a traumatic experience would do whatever they could to prevent it from ever happening again."
"“Memorial” is entertaining and well-paced with some good directing and a great score by David Bell, but it’s way too derivative and obvious. I’d guessed what was happened long before the ‘big reveal’ and this was like a needle in a balloon in terms of shattering whatever emotional resonance and intrigue was there. For me, “Remember” was a far more effective episode. I’m surprised no one else has drawn the parallel because the story is basically the same."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 6-20 Good Shepherd
From TNG 7-15 Lower Decks
"I tried to enjoy this but it just came across as a poor man's version of Lower Decks in TNG. None of the junior officers had the charisma and presence of either Sito, Lavelle, Ogawa or Taurik."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 6-25 The Haunting of Deck Twelve
From TNG 1-07 Lonely Among Us
"The 'ghost' itself just isn't that interesting. It's a cookie cutter riff on the non-corporeal being. If anything, it reminds me of TNG's "Lonely Among Us," and that's not an episode you want to remind me of. The other problem is that the children never become involved with the story in any real way, so there are no stakes to the scare."
www.treknobabble.net
So far, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference.
VOY 5-22 Someone to Watch Over Me
From DS9 6-20 His Way
Better than the Original
"Someone to Watch Over Me feels smarter and more human than the romantic comedies that it is emulating. In fact, Someone to Watch Over Me feels more emotionally realistic than the the courtship between Odo and Kira in His Way. Odo repeatedly betrayed Kira’s trust in the years leading up to their relationship, most notably through the actions of his future self in Children of Time or his collaboration with the Dominion in Behind the Lines. However, the writers tried to brush past all that with an off-screen conversation in You Are Cordially Invited… It never felt earned."
VOY 5-23 11:59
From DS9 6-13 Far Beyond the Stars
"As with Someone to Watch Over Me, there is a sense that 11:59‘s closest spiritual companion is an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. There are any number of superficial similarities between 11:59 and Far Beyond the Stars, another time-travel-to-close-to-modern-day-Earth-episode-without-the-time-travel. Sadly, the experiment does not quite work out. Someone to Watch Over Me is one of the most charming episodes in the seven-season run of Voyager, while 11:59 is more than a little dull. Far Beyond the Stars is one of the most powerful and evocative episodes of Star Trek ever produced, while 11:59 is a competent piece of television that is almost immediately dated."
VOY 5-25 Warhead
Not Recycled in Same Series
From TOS 2-3 The Changeling
"It is not too difficult to imagine a version of Warhead written for the original Star Trek, in which James Tiberius Kirk finds himself tasked with outwitting a weapon of mass destruction. There are certainly shades of this story to classic episodes like The Changeling or The Doomsday Machine. In many ways, Voyager harked back to the aesthetic of classic Star Trek, in terms of its storytelling and its interests. Warhead is far from Voyager‘s only episode about self-aware weapons of war; the second season featured episodes like Prototype and Dreadnought."
VOY 6-4 Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy
From TNG 3-21 Hollow Pursuits
Better than the Original
"The scenarios the Doctor dreams up are funny, too! I agree with some of the above posters that this is like TNG's "Hollow Pursuits" except that the Doctor's pursuits actually end up being used to Voyager's advantage. This makes the entertainment all the more relevant."
"Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 6-07 Dragon's Teeth
From TOS 1-24 Space Seed
Better than the Original
"The plot of this episode bears a striking similarity to the TOS episode "Space Seed", the episode which introduced famed villain Khan. In both episodes, the crew find and revive a group of people from long-term suspended animation and treat them with hospitality, only for their new guests to turn against them and attempt a hostile takeover."
"Dragon’s Teeth” has only two fundamental problems. The first is its derivative nature. “Dragon’s Teeth” is the Star Trek: Voyager reworking of Star Trek’s “Space Seed” (reviewed here!). Like “Space Seed,” the Federation reawakens an army – starting with the leader – who attempt to take their ship to go and conquer the galaxy. The only other issue with “Dragon’s Teeth” is that it is not ambitious enough in its timeframe."
War Perpetual: “Space Seed” Is Rewritten For <em>Star Trek: Voyager</em> In “Dragon’s Teeth!”
The Good: Decent acting, Cool concept, Awesome special effects The Bad: Minutae, Derivative nature The Basics : When Voyager inadverten...
wlswarts.blogspot.com
VOY 6-12 Blink of an Eye
From TOS 3-11 Wink of an Eye
Better than the Original
""Blink of an Eye" is a compelling hour of Voyager, and it might've seemed like a truly original sci-fi concept if it weren't for the fact the basic premise was made into an episode of original Trek more than 31 years ago. Is this new episode an homage, an updated retelling, or a blatant plundering of already-used ideas? I'm inclined to use the phrase "updated retelling." One gets the sense that this story might've been intended to seem fresh to new-Trek fans who were not familiar with the original premise; at the same time, the fact that the title has barely been changed (the TOS episode was called "Wink of an Eye") is a hint that maybe the writers were consciously, if quietly, acknowledging their source material."
"Blink of an Eye" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 6-14 Memorial
From VOY 3-6 Remember
"The plot of this episode is similar to that of the third season's "Remember" – Voyager personnel (in that case, just one – in this case, many) experience a terrible past event as if it were their own memories, after eyewitness accounts of the atrocity are telepathically implanted into their brains in the hopes that anyone who went through such a traumatic experience would do whatever they could to prevent it from ever happening again."
"“Memorial” is entertaining and well-paced with some good directing and a great score by David Bell, but it’s way too derivative and obvious. I’d guessed what was happened long before the ‘big reveal’ and this was like a needle in a balloon in terms of shattering whatever emotional resonance and intrigue was there. For me, “Remember” was a far more effective episode. I’m surprised no one else has drawn the parallel because the story is basically the same."
"Memorial" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 6-20 Good Shepherd
From TNG 7-15 Lower Decks
"I tried to enjoy this but it just came across as a poor man's version of Lower Decks in TNG. None of the junior officers had the charisma and presence of either Sito, Lavelle, Ogawa or Taurik."
"Good Shepherd" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 6-25 The Haunting of Deck Twelve
From TNG 1-07 Lonely Among Us
"The 'ghost' itself just isn't that interesting. It's a cookie cutter riff on the non-corporeal being. If anything, it reminds me of TNG's "Lonely Among Us," and that's not an episode you want to remind me of. The other problem is that the children never become involved with the story in any real way, so there are no stakes to the scare."
Voyager, Season 6 : The Haunting of Deck Twelve
Voyager, Season 6 " The Haunting of Deck Twelve " Airdate: May 17, 2000 143 of 168 produced 143 of 168 aired Introduction The Borg c...
"The Cage" rips off Forbidden Planet. Obviously, so does "The Menagerie."
WNMHGB and "Charlie X" are Bixby's "It's a Good Life."
"The Corbomite Maneuver" premise is straight out of Leinster's "First Contact."
"Mudd's Women" is a lift from countless Westerns about mail-order brides.
"The Enemy Within?" Doctor Jeckyl to the OR, STAT.
"Balance of Terror" is The Enemy Below with serial numbers filed off.
"Arena?" DesiLu had to pay Fredric Brown, for Jee's sake. "Inadvertant," my ass.
Not lookin' good, so far...
WNMHGB and "Charlie X" are Bixby's "It's a Good Life."
"The Corbomite Maneuver" premise is straight out of Leinster's "First Contact."
"Mudd's Women" is a lift from countless Westerns about mail-order brides.
"The Enemy Within?" Doctor Jeckyl to the OR, STAT.
"Balance of Terror" is The Enemy Below with serial numbers filed off.
"Arena?" DesiLu had to pay Fredric Brown, for Jee's sake. "Inadvertant," my ass.
Not lookin' good, so far...
Last edited:
VOY (Part 5)
So far, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference. At the end, it will add a second copycat episode, while the other two episodes with corrected references remain unchanged.
VOY 7-11 Shattered
From TNG 7-26 All Good Things... Part II
"This episode reminds me a lot of 'All Good Things...'. It takes the time periods way up in number and in turn tones the plot down to just another anomaly of the week rather than a series-defining arc ending. But the basic concept is the same."
www.treknobabble.net
VOY 7-15 The Void
From VOY 5-1 Night
Better than the Original
"I, as well as many others, have noted the similarities between the Voyager episodes Night (s05e01) and The Void (s7e15). Both episodes have a very similar premise with a very similar ending. Both Night and The Void kick off with Voyager ending the teaser act becoming stuck in a totally empty pocket of space with no stars or planets. This sets up the stakes for the episode very quickly, namely pure survival."
VOY 7-18 Human Error
From TNG 3-21 Hollow Pursuits
"There's blanket theft of the storyline from TNG's Barclay episode "Hollow Pursuits," without even making any reference to the inappropriateness of using one's co-workers as recreational holograms."
VOY 7-19 Q2
From TNG 3-13 Deja Q
"The best Q comedy was TNG's "Deja Q." That was a show with chemistry and wit ... and a premise that at least made Our Favorite Q (John de Lancie) into a human, such that he had no choice but to experience human behavior firsthand. But "Q2" — aside from its ripped-off "Deja Q"-like elements — is unfortunately the sequel to "The Q and the Grey" from four years back, an episode that went about as wrong as a Q story could. "Q2" only takes that wrongness further; omnipotence apparently means you have the ability to do anything physically, but have the intellect and ambitions of an American teenager."
www.jammersreviews.com
VOY 7-20 Author, Author
From TNG 2-9 The Measure of a Man
"And then we retread old ground, as Voyager decides to do TNG’s “The Measure of a Man,” but without actually acknowledging that episode, which is especially idiotic given that the precedent of that episode establishing Data’s sentience is really important to Tuvok’s case to establish the EMH’s, and legal proceedings are all about precedent. And in the same way that Picard has been treating synths—artificial intelligences in artificial bodies—as something to be outlawed but holograms—AIs in photonic bodies—as something completely different, the inability to draw the line between Data and the EMH here is maddening."
reactormag.com
VOY 7-25 Endgame, Part 1
From VOY 5-6 Timeless
www.dcgameblog.com
Just from TOS to VOY, the lists are less one not-copycat TOS episode, they switch one not-copycat VOY episode for the correct one, and two recycled plots in VOY have the correct episode change for reference.
So far, the Voyager list is less one not-copycat episode, and two copycats have the correct episode change for reference. At the end, it will add a second copycat episode, while the other two episodes with corrected references remain unchanged.
VOY 7-11 Shattered
From TNG 7-26 All Good Things... Part II
"This episode reminds me a lot of 'All Good Things...'. It takes the time periods way up in number and in turn tones the plot down to just another anomaly of the week rather than a series-defining arc ending. But the basic concept is the same."
Voyager, Season 7: Shattered
Voyager, Season 7 "Shattered" Airdate: 17 January 2001 154 of 168 produced 154 of 168 aired Introduction When Voyager runs af...
VOY 7-15 The Void
From VOY 5-1 Night
Better than the Original
"I, as well as many others, have noted the similarities between the Voyager episodes Night (s05e01) and The Void (s7e15). Both episodes have a very similar premise with a very similar ending. Both Night and The Void kick off with Voyager ending the teaser act becoming stuck in a totally empty pocket of space with no stars or planets. This sets up the stakes for the episode very quickly, namely pure survival."
VOY 7-18 Human Error
From TNG 3-21 Hollow Pursuits
"There's blanket theft of the storyline from TNG's Barclay episode "Hollow Pursuits," without even making any reference to the inappropriateness of using one's co-workers as recreational holograms."
VOY 7-19 Q2
From TNG 3-13 Deja Q
"The best Q comedy was TNG's "Deja Q." That was a show with chemistry and wit ... and a premise that at least made Our Favorite Q (John de Lancie) into a human, such that he had no choice but to experience human behavior firsthand. But "Q2" — aside from its ripped-off "Deja Q"-like elements — is unfortunately the sequel to "The Q and the Grey" from four years back, an episode that went about as wrong as a Q story could. "Q2" only takes that wrongness further; omnipotence apparently means you have the ability to do anything physically, but have the intellect and ambitions of an American teenager."
"Q2" | Star Trek: Voyager | Jammer's Reviews
In-depth critical reviews of Star Trek and some other sci-fi series. Includes all episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, Discovery, Picard, Lower Decks, Prodigy, and Strange New Worlds. Also, Star Wars, the new...
VOY 7-20 Author, Author
From TNG 2-9 The Measure of a Man
"And then we retread old ground, as Voyager decides to do TNG’s “The Measure of a Man,” but without actually acknowledging that episode, which is especially idiotic given that the precedent of that episode establishing Data’s sentience is really important to Tuvok’s case to establish the EMH’s, and legal proceedings are all about precedent. And in the same way that Picard has been treating synths—artificial intelligences in artificial bodies—as something to be outlawed but holograms—AIs in photonic bodies—as something completely different, the inability to draw the line between Data and the EMH here is maddening."
Star Trek: Voyager Rewatch: "Author, Author" - Reactor
“Author, Author” Written by Brannon Braga and Phyllis Strong & Michael Sussman Directed by David Livingston Season 7, Episode 20 Production episode 266 Original air date: April 18, 2001 Stardate: 54732.3 Captain’s log. The EMH has written a holo-novel called Photons, Be Free. Meanwhile, Project...
reactormag.com
VOY 7-25 Endgame, Part 1
From VOY 5-6 Timeless
Endgame Sucks (And Here’s Why) – Damage Control Blog
Several years in the making and this was what we got?!
www.dcgameblog.com
Just from TOS to VOY, the lists are less one not-copycat TOS episode, they switch one not-copycat VOY episode for the correct one, and two recycled plots in VOY have the correct episode change for reference.
For the purposes of this discussion, I'm not including outside stories being adapted into a Star Trek environment.
Gene Roddenberry wanted Star Trek to tell stories predominantly from outside science fiction. Audiences who wouldn't watch western or mystery stories in their respective genres, for example, would be interesting in seeing them in a science fiction setting.
Star Trek: Enterprise copied 6 episodes with Star Trek: Voyager origins. ENT reused 2 plots that appeared on VOY but ultimately have TNG origins. It recycled 2 other scripts with TNG origins. It rehashed 3 stories from DS9. Last, but not least, it recycled 3 plots from TOS.
ENT has a somewhat higher quality rate when it comes to recycled plots, even if it's below 50%. When it copied VOY, its improvement rate was 4/6. When it copied stories with both VOY versions and TNG versions, its improvement rate was 1/2. When it copied straight TNG, its improvement rate was 0/2. When it copied DS9, its improvement rate was only 1/3. When it copied TOS, its improvement rate was only 1/3.
ENT (Part 1)
ENT 1-6 Terra Nova
From VOY 7-21 Friendship One
Better than the Original
"The fact both episodes take place mostly in the same “caves” standing set on Paramount’s Stage 16 doesn’t help. Both stories feature hostile groups who are suffering radiation poisoning, though in the case of “Friendship One,” it’s the result of aliens using human technology incorrectly (hello, justification for the Prime Suggestion) whereas in “Terra Nova,” the human settlers have been hit by an random asteroid strike."
www.denofgeek.com
ENT 1-16 Shuttlepod One
From DS9 5-9 The Ascent
"The Ascent could almost work as a two-handed stage play. The Star Trek franchise has a fondness for this sort of storytelling, as demonstrated by stories like Darmok or Shuttlepod One. However, Deep Space Nine is more fond of this theatrical style of storytelling than any of the other shows in the franchise; Duet, The Wire, The Ascent, Waltz. Over the run of the show, it seems like Deep Space Nine believes that throwing two characters together and letting them talk is the key to good drama."
ENT 1-20 Oasis
From DS9 2-16 Shadowplay
Better than the Original
"In both cases, an entire group of people turn out to be holograms of the dead, created by a middle aged white man wanting to recreate his lost loved ones. We love to see the late and much-missed Auberjonois in anything, but this was a strange episode to have him guest star in."
www.denofgeek.com
ENT 2-4 Dead Stop
From TOS 3-1 Spock's Brain
Better than the Original
"The Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Dead Stop" reused the concept but made sure to play it for horror, have the entire person be abducted, and drop the brainless fanservice beauties altogether."
"You managed to miss the most literal retread- ENT's "Dead Stop"- an alien automated repair facility (which I love for actually being a stab at depicting how one might go about building starships) that kidnaps Mayweather and leaves a fake body, because it needs BRAAAAINS to run its computer core. It succeeds where Spock's Brain failed because oh jeezus really it's Spock's Brain must I?"
ENT has a somewhat higher quality rate when it comes to recycled plots, even if it's below 50%. When it copied VOY, its improvement rate was 4/6. When it copied stories with both VOY versions and TNG versions, its improvement rate was 1/2. When it copied straight TNG, its improvement rate was 0/2. When it copied DS9, its improvement rate was only 1/3. When it copied TOS, its improvement rate was only 1/3.
ENT (Part 1)
ENT 1-6 Terra Nova
From VOY 7-21 Friendship One
Better than the Original
"The fact both episodes take place mostly in the same “caves” standing set on Paramount’s Stage 16 doesn’t help. Both stories feature hostile groups who are suffering radiation poisoning, though in the case of “Friendship One,” it’s the result of aliens using human technology incorrectly (hello, justification for the Prime Suggestion) whereas in “Terra Nova,” the human settlers have been hit by an random asteroid strike."
Star Trek: Enterprise's Recycled Episodes | Den of Geek
Did Enterprise improve on these 10 stories "recycled" from earlier Star Trek series?
www.denofgeek.com
ENT 1-16 Shuttlepod One
From DS9 5-9 The Ascent
"The Ascent could almost work as a two-handed stage play. The Star Trek franchise has a fondness for this sort of storytelling, as demonstrated by stories like Darmok or Shuttlepod One. However, Deep Space Nine is more fond of this theatrical style of storytelling than any of the other shows in the franchise; Duet, The Wire, The Ascent, Waltz. Over the run of the show, it seems like Deep Space Nine believes that throwing two characters together and letting them talk is the key to good drama."
ENT 1-20 Oasis
From DS9 2-16 Shadowplay
Better than the Original
"In both cases, an entire group of people turn out to be holograms of the dead, created by a middle aged white man wanting to recreate his lost loved ones. We love to see the late and much-missed Auberjonois in anything, but this was a strange episode to have him guest star in."
Star Trek: Enterprise's Recycled Episodes | Den of Geek
Did Enterprise improve on these 10 stories "recycled" from earlier Star Trek series?
www.denofgeek.com
ENT 2-4 Dead Stop
From TOS 3-1 Spock's Brain
Better than the Original
"The Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Dead Stop" reused the concept but made sure to play it for horror, have the entire person be abducted, and drop the brainless fanservice beauties altogether."
"You managed to miss the most literal retread- ENT's "Dead Stop"- an alien automated repair facility (which I love for actually being a stab at depicting how one might go about building starships) that kidnaps Mayweather and leaves a fake body, because it needs BRAAAAINS to run its computer core. It succeeds where Spock's Brain failed because oh jeezus really it's Spock's Brain must I?"
