Episode of the Week: 11001001

[Captrek]

This week’s episode is 11001001. It’s the last decent episode for a while, so enjoy it.

The Bynars are a pleasure to watch. All miniature and cute and friendly and synchronized, they’re like Oompah Loompahs without the creepiness. If you want to add the creepiness back in, here’s a chilling thought: something like this could be an early stage in the evolution of the Borg.

Crusher is really annoying in this episode. Fortunately, her part is small.

Why do the Bynars delete Minuet?

We don’t know what happened off camera, but from what we know about the situation, it seems the four Bynars on the Enterprise should be let off with a slap on the wrist and no action taken against Bynaus. It makes me wonder, how does 24th century Federation justice give a slap on the wrist? It is said often said in the series that Federation justice is based on rehabilitation rather than punishment, but these particular criminals don’t need rehabilitation.

 

[MikeS]

My favourite of the season. Beautiful in HD. That shot of the Enterprise approaching Starbase is a stand-out of the entire seven season run for me.

Nice observations about the Bynars - always wished we'd see them again. Perhaps they served some time on Memory Alpha to pay off their debt to the Federation?

My only nitpicks - regarding the encryption key. The Bynars only wanted Riker, Picard being their was "a fortunate happenstance", how would Riker have entered the encryption key in tandem by himself? Also, why use an encryption key at all? They wanted their world to be saved, so why make it more difficult?!

 

[Mott the barber]

Most unintentionally funny part of the episode:

Quinteros: "There's nothing you can do."

...as bridge crew stands by helpless.

There had to be SOMETHING else they could've tried.

 

[BillJ]

My only nitpicks - regarding the encryption key. The Bynars only wanted Riker, Picard being their was "a fortunate happenstance", how would Riker have entered the encryption key in tandem by himself? Also, why use an encryption key at all? They wanted their world to be saved, so why make it more difficult?!

I never thought about that before.

Perhaps the second encryption key would've automatically sent if the Minuet program hadn't been interrupted?

 

[Timo]

What do you mean, encryption? They didn't encrypt anything, they stored a file and gave it a filename!

It wasn't a complicated filename, either. It was probably as obvious as they could make it. They just weren't capable of much thought at that point, couldn't emulate human thinking, and fucked it up royally.

The need to have two people input it is probably another sign of their failing thought processes... They never did pretend they understood humans, hence their kidnap plan instead of mere plea for help. But they could have used Minuet or other expert program as their interface...

There had to be SOMETHING else they could've tried.

Depends on what they hoped to achieve, I guess. At that point, they still thought the ship was going to blow up. Their concern was of getting Picard and Riker off the ship somehow before that happened; if they could not be found by remote means, sending a search party would be a foolhardy maneuver, probably only leading to further casualties.

Stopping an escaping starship could have been achieved by various means. But the idea that the E-D was escaping should not have occurred to our heroes at that point yet.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Jeyl]

Now this is a nice episode. Ron Jones' opening theme with the Enterprise approaching the starbase is one I often play in my car when I approach my destination, and the visuals just jump out in HD.

Glad they fixed the approach lights on the recalled discs. At first I thought they removed it to make their footage look more unique compared to STIII, but than the lights are seen in the next shot.

And while I do wish I could give Riker a bonk on the head for being a girl seeker when he still clearly has feelings for Troi, I'll give it a pass because he's just indulging himself and trying to have a good time. And for all my hate towards the holodeck, it's use here was well executed.

And I will always love the Bynars line "You might have said no". Made total sense to me given Starfleet's reputation of willful genocide and the way they blindingly follow the Prime Directive. Score 1 for the aliens.

 

[Captrek]

I would have liked some explanation of what "binary way of thinking" means.

 

[RAMA]

Beautifully produced episode from top to bottom, and spectacular in HD. I disagree that it's the last good episode for awhile, I think that most episodes after it were good.

 

[Forbin]

Agree that they shot of the E approaching the station was awesome, and I was glad to be able to see it in hi def (I didn't buy the Blu-rays, but a friend loaned them to me). Also REALLY glad to see Carolyn McCormack in that red dress in hi def!!

 

[Danny99]

A first season gem and one of series overall.

There is some puzzling moments though like the aforementioned moment where Picard being there was "fortunate happenstance" when they needed two people to do the code together. Another is when Data and LaForge can't find Picard and Riker, the two senior officers and just assume they beamed off, when it's usually Star Trek convention for the Captain to go down with the ship or at least be the last one off.

I also couldn't get fully behind Carolyn McCormick as Minuet because by the time I had seen this episode in syndication, I had to suffer through a couple Law and Order episodes with her as the painfully horrible Olivet.

 

[Captrek]

There is some puzzling moments though like the aforementioned moment where Picard being there was "fortunate happenstance" when they needed two people to do the code together.

The fact that Minuet called Picard’s presence fortunate suggests the Bynars knew they needed him. I assume they had some kind of a plan for keeping Picard on the ship, and that plan became unnecessary as a result of this fortunate happenstance.

 

[inflatabledalek]

Two weeks behind again, but it's been a really bad time for me...


Quick summing up:


A really nice little episode, not a huge amount of substance to it but well made and with a real charm to it that overcomes some of the odd bits (I've never really brought Riker falling that hard that quickly for a computer program. Though it's probably one of the few pre-DS9 episodes to acknowledge what most people would use the technology for. "Give me a hot woman who likes my trumpet").

Great effects as well, as everyone said.

 

[Vulture]

My first post to my first season favorite episode #11001001

I saw a news article tonight, this week's Lower Decks marked the franchise's 800th episode. Good Lord. I've seen them all dozens of times.
I was a wee tot watching TOS reruns. (That stands for Those Old Scientists).
Then I discovered TNG on my own at the age of 7 in 87, the parents weren't as big of fans and didn't watch too much.
So tonight I was playing some greatest hits episodes in the background and selected to see the binary steal the D and distract it's top 2 bridge officers with some hot poonanny. Can't say I blame them.
I was only able to have select episodes on VHS, so they had to really count, so this was one of the first ones.

 

[Pikirk_Janesisko]

Suprisingly good, one of the neatest episodes from season 1. I particularly like the Bynars, I always thought they should have appeared more on the series.

 

[Oddish]

Regarding "fortunate happenstance", I think that the Bynars needed to "trap" two crew members. They chose Riker, and were going to get someone else, but then Picard went in too. The Bynars said (in their 1011001000110101011 way) "hey cool, we've got two, so let's evac the ship and scram".

Regarding Minuet, I think that at the time, the holodeck was not intended to be capable of creating "people". It was only when Moriarty, Vic Fontaine, and the EMH appeared that holograms became potential sentients. Of course, one has to wonder about the morality of setting the ship's autodestruct if the computer memory contains what are effectively a bunch of people...

Lastly... I didn't even know what "sultry" meant when I first watched this one, but dang if I didn't when I saw Minuet appear, red dress and lounging on the bar with those smoldering eyes... yow.

I wonder which Bynar was actually playing her.

 

[Orphalesion]

I found the whole episode a giant cringe fest and pretty antiquated.
Our Captain and First Officer lose control of their ships to some high-tech gnomes because they are busy flirting with a holographic bar floozy. Our heroes!
Plus the scene where Riker created Minuet just comes off like him picking out what porn he wants to wank off to.

 

[Oddish]

Plus the scene where Riker created Minuet just comes off like him picking out what porn he wants to wank off to.

We all have our romantic and sexual fantasies. Having a holodeck just allows people to act them out.

 

[Qonundrum]

This week’s episode is 11001001. It’s the last decent episode for a while, so enjoy it.

The Bynars are a pleasure to watch.

A refreshingly original creation, anthropomorphizing computer terminology/concepts in an entertaining yet original way (also see "Tron" for another wonderful example of this melding, which also feels original despite some sources of inspiration). And also in an semi-educational way, if not limited to 8- or 16-bits per Data's too-concise and limited exposition (32-bit processing had already existed, but to balance technical twaddle without getting pedantic takes a bit of skill... Mid/late-80s entertainment often used leading edge technology melded with pop culture. The Transformers robots being a far more cheesy (but definitely not unsuccessful!) melding as well.

All miniature and cute and friendly and synchronized, they’re like Oompah Loompahs without the creepiness. If you want to add the creepiness back in, here’s a chilling thought: something like this could be an early stage in the evolution of the Borg.

There was a certain eeriness to them, which couldn't easily be figured out. Definitely refreshing. So much so that even Troi isn't there to tell us she hasn't a clue what they're thinking.

Crusher is really annoying in this episode. Fortunately, her part is small.

There is an old Vulcan proverb: "There are no small parts. Just small scripts."

Why do the Bynars delete Minuet?

Good point. They, by "fortunate happenstance" (per Minuet's own statement), enter the password (title drop!) and the upload commences (though who turned on the mainframe before the systems could connect?).

Maybe, to the Bynar mindset, once their gambit was done, she was no longer needed and the original holodeck code was replaced. But why have a backup of that original code when the space was needed?

And as the Bynars worked in pairs, why lure Riker away and nobody else? (Picard popping down to holodeck 4 was an amazing stroke of luck; had he not going down but left when the klaxon sounded...)

We don’t know what happened off camera, but from what we know about the situation, it seems the four Bynars on the Enterprise should be let off with a slap on the wrist and no action taken against Bynaus. It makes me wonder, how does 24th century Federation justice give a slap on the wrist? It is said often said in the series that Federation justice is based on rehabilitation rather than punishment, but these particular criminals don’t need rehabilitation.

It's a bit schmaltzy, I agree... the real meat is left to the audience to decide - Picard does tell the Bynars that they would be handed to Quinteros for a hearing, but it's still a bit too cornfield - and mixed with some strawberry shortcake.

 

[Qonundrum]

Suprisingly good, one of the neatest episodes from season 1. I particularly like the Bynars, I always thought they should have appeared more on the series.

I pretend they're costars in a video game and mentally retcon "Robotron 2084" for every fifth wave... now they're even more villainous than the Borg!

 

[Orphalesion]

We all have our romantic and sexual fantasies. Having a holodeck just allows people to act them out.

Not faulting him for picking out porn, just faulting the scrip writers for making us watch it.

A refreshingly original creation, anthropomorphizing computer terminology/concepts in an entertaining yet original way (also see "Tron" for another wonderful example of this melding, which also feels original despite some sources of inspiration). And also in an semi-educational way, if not limited to 8- or 16-bits per Data's too-concise and limited exposition (32-bit processing had already existed, but to balance technical twaddle without getting pedantic takes a bit of skill... Mid/late-80s entertainment often used leading edge technology melded with pop culture. The Transformers robots being a far more cheesy (but definitely not unsuccessful!) melding as well.

There was a certain eeriness to them, which couldn't easily be figured out. Definitely refreshing.

Not gonna lie, as much as I hate the Minuet part of the episode, the Bynars themselves were cool, both their concept and their make-up.
Season 1 had a couple cool examples of alien make up, those Dog/Rat and Cobra ambassadors in that one episode were pretty well done as well TNG seldom did such elaborate designs later on, or at least few I can remember right now.