"Distant Origin"

[Bishop76]

Making excuses for bad writing and bad stories should be a felony...

(for those who don't understand, that was a joke - like this episode).

 

[RAMA]

One of my favorite ST stories ever from any series and well executed. I'd say this was one of the classic greats of Trek. Loved the unusual teaser. Sure there is some explaining that could be done about how dinosaurs left Earth, but there are many different ways this can be accomplished (and remember, the idea that they evolved quickly and left Earth alone was only a theory), and stories of this type are not unusual in science fiction.

RAMA

 

[RAMA]

I'm sorry, I don't know how to respond to crazy.

Because faster-than-light ships, universal translators that work instantaneously, and transporters are all concepts thoroughly grounded in known science fact?

Once you've accepted that species that evolved on entirely different planets and have incompatible body chemistries are able of producing offspring together, believing dinosaurs evolved warp a few million years ago isn't that much of a jump.

Actually theoretically there are ways already around the light speed barrier...translators exist now, and it doesn't seem incredible to hypothesize advanced language matrix computers 300 years hence. Transporting may never come to pass, but quantum particles have already "beamed" in the lab. http://arstechnica.com/science/news...ion-achieved-over-ten-miles-of-free-space.ars Be careful to never say "never".

RAMA

 

[exodus]

Ah yes, respond to decent critiques with insults. Very nice.

It's actually a reference to a movie called Tropic Thunder.

Listen, I understand that we need to suspend disbelief quite a bit for these shows. But there are limits to that, and this episode crosses over that line without any really good reason for doing so.

Seriously?
So you can believe Jello can be sentient and called Odo but Dinos in space is going too far?

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The premise of VOY: Distant Origin is not really sillier than that of TNG: The Chase. The main weakness in Distant Origin is that it is not elaborate enough, and ultimately it is as dispensable as any other one-off episode of any Trek series. For all the effort that went into it, I would rather have seen some filler episode sacrificed to expand it into a two-parter. Some of the nagging questions could have been addressed with additional details about doctrine and some Voth mythology about the breaking of the transwarp barrier. An element straining believability is that the Voth seem to have no expansive empire. There could even have been a mini-story arc about crossing Voth space. And the Voth, possessing ancient and advanced technology, could have made a more interesting enemy of the Borg than Species 8472.

 

[Bishop76]

Yes, you're all right. This is a fantastic episode. I've seen the light. Can I have my straight jacket and protective headgear now, please?

 

[Markira]

The premise of VOY: Distant Origin is not really sillier than that of TNG: The Chase. The main weakness in Distant Origin is that it is not elaborate enough, and ultimately it is as dispensable as any other one-off episode of any Trek series. For all the effort that went into it, I would rather have seen some filler episode sacrificed to expand it into a two-parter. Some of the nagging questions could have been addressed with additional details about doctrine and some Voth mythology about the breaking of the transwarp barrier. An element straining believability is that the Voth seem to have no expansive empire. There could even have been a mini-story arc about crossing Voth space. And the Voth, possessing ancient and advanced technology, could have made a more interesting enemy of the Borg than Species 8472.

Hmm, yes, that would have been interesting! The Voth really worked for me as a possible enemy, having the classic dangerous combination of xenophobia and advanced technology that would have been an interesting challenge for Voyager. At least temporarily, as you suggest.

 

[Anwar]

They should have remained a neutral species, not really good or bad. That way they could've been used as a plot device to get by the Borg for a while, explain that the Borg are terrified of them and put beacons around their space marking it as off-limits.

 

[Lord Manitou]

Yes, you're all right. This is a fantastic episode. I've seen the light. Can I have my straight jacket and protective headgear now, please?

I believe today's sciences involving advanced theoretical concepts only involves the scientist with a few noodles missing. This could descibe your eventual loss or lack of faith.
It wasn't until micro-electronics that the integral was needed in the lab and the integral has been hear since Isaac Newton. The scientist is not using deduction any greater rate rather than deducing what they see with their powerful microscopes and telescopes.
Any change toward science fiction will be results of billions of dollars and thousands of dullards who say following some rational path will put people closer(one more step) to a rational society.