False Profits

[Richard Baker]

"Keystone Kapitalists" was the term I remember from that first episode.
DS9 did a fairly good job making them into a race with it's own unique value system from a comic plot device.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

But we still need an in-universe explanation for the first time we saw them.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

False Profits is worse than Threshold. 0/10.

Everything about it is ridiculous. I can get over the fact that it brings the Farengi straight back to the TNG season 1 cartoon stereotypes. But it's also another "Blown chance to get straight home" episode in which the only reason they fail to get home is that they have such terrible security that the Farengi could make it out of the brig and all the way to their unguarded shuttlebay. Also, it's an episode in which there is a ridiculous interpretation of the prime directive, and one with the god damn stupidest planet population in the universe.

They made their cost cutting blatantly obvious as well. In the financial center of the world where their 'Gods' live, apparently there were six people tops at any given moment.

And back to the abject stupidity of the planet's population, the episode leaned heavily on the 'Locals slavishly adhering to some violently terrible interpretation of a vague prophecy' cliche. When they were yelling 'WINGS OF FIRE! WINGS OF FIRE!', it was so stupid it felt like a self-parody. If the population is really this stupid, I would have left the Farengi as their Gods. Without the Farengi it seems like they'd have trouble getting dressed in the morning.

It also seemed like a self-parody of the anti-capitalist messages of TNG, because it seemed like even though their motives were fully exploitative, the quality of life was significantly higher on that planet after the Farengi established an economy. But no, wash your hands of all the complex implications of the themes you established and make everything straightforward and simple, 'Capitalism evil'.

If you'll permit me to speak in my Comic Book Guy voice, *ahem*.

WORST. EPISODE. EVER.

 

[JeffinOakland]

Greed and capitalism are different economic practices.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Capitalist theory would suggest that greed is more altruistic than altruism.

 

[JeffinOakland]

Capitalist theory would suggest that greed is more altruistic than altruism.

Only if you're a big teabaggin' Ayn Rand fan & good luck w that. In any case, I'm not here on a ST fan page to discuss economic theory. Back to the show!

 

[Guy Gardener]

The thing I don't like about Last Out Post is how awesome Riker comes off.

He realizes it's a game, what the rules are and how to win. Smarts and balls.

As the years went by, where did his smarts and balls go?

Is it because the first few handful of episodes were in a mirror universe where this was an entirely different man named Bill Riker?

(Check the script.)

 

[JeffinOakland]

The thing I don't like about Last Out Post is how awesome Riker comes off.

He realizes it's a game, what the rules are and how to win. Smarts and balls.

As the years went by, where did his smarts and balls go?

Is it because the first few handful of episodes were in a mirror universe where this was an entirely different man named Bill Riker?

(Check the script.)

Aside from the obvious "plot needing him on Enterprise" why didn't he accept a Captaincy, since the show repeatedly stressed he gave up any semblance of any sort of normal life (lovers, family, friends) for his career?

 

[Melakon]

As the years went by, where did his smarts and balls go?

Troi kept them in the top drawer of her desk.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The thing I don't like about Last Out Post is how awesome Riker comes off.

He realizes it's a game, what the rules are and how to win. Smarts and balls.

As the years went by, where did his smarts and balls go?

Is it because the first few handful of episodes were in a mirror universe where this was an entirely different man named Bill Riker?

(Check the script.)

Aside from the obvious "plot needing him on Enterprise" why didn't he accept a Captaincy, since the show repeatedly stressed he gave up any semblance of any sort of normal life (lovers, family, friends) for his career?

He was offered a dinky little ship in the Best of Both Worlds 1. In the second episode, that ship was destroyed by the Borg. At the end of The Best of Both Worlds, Will was told that he could have the pick of any ship in the fleet, and his reply was something like "Why is everyone so concerned about my future, when I'm still dealing with my present."

Riker was also offered a ship in the one where his dad shagged Pulaski. Kyle went on to call his boy a loser for turning down his own ship to stay in Picard's shadow because that's how real men parent.

 

[JeffinOakland]

The thing I don't like about Last Out Post is how awesome Riker comes off.

He realizes it's a game, what the rules are and how to win. Smarts and balls.

As the years went by, where did his smarts and balls go?

Is it because the first few handful of episodes were in a mirror universe where this was an entirely different man named Bill Riker?

(Check the script.)

Aside from the obvious "plot needing him on Enterprise" why didn't he accept a Captaincy, since the show repeatedly stressed he gave up any semblance of any sort of normal life (lovers, family, friends) for his career?

He was offered a dinky little ship in the Best of Both Worlds 1. In the second episode, that ship was destroyed by the Borg. At the end of The Best of Both Worlds, Will was told that he could have the pick of any ship in the fleet, and his reply was something like "Why is everyone so concerned about my future, when I'm still dealing with my present."

Riker was also offered a ship in the one where his dad shagged Pulaski. Kyle went on to call his boy a loser for turning down his own ship to stay in Picard's shadow because that's how real men parent.

A dad who is a belittling macho blowhard. Never heard of that before.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Maybe I didn't see that one first time around, so I'd absorbed Kyle Riker on Dharma and Greg for 5 years as this fantastically disinterested somewhat drunk cool dad... When you're a billionaire, that behaviour is called "eccentric".

Born 1928 and still above ground.

RESULT!

 

[JeffinOakland]

Never watched Dharma and Greg,,,is it that good?....when youre rich and you act like an ahole, you're "eccentric". When you're not rich and you act like an ahole, you're an ....ahole.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

It would be hilarious to go from loser weirdo to quaint eccentric with the power of money and to watch it happen around you. That would be my personal journey anyway

 

[Melakon]

You're already eccentric.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Only with bravado. It takes a lot of work to be eccentric rather than a loser when you aren't wealthy. You have to sell people on how all your weirdness is potentially charming when it really isn't.

 

[Melakon]

I was too lazy to bother with that charming crap.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

I have to be ready for when my blog wins a pulitzer prize you see. I have to keep in practice. I can't be taken unawares.

 

[Guy Gardener]

There is no personal wealth in the Federation.

That should level level the playing field for the more abrasive.

I wonder how monumentally the birthrate in the Federation fell with the invention of holosuites?

...

Dharma and Greg is fantastic.

She's hippy from a family of hippies, and he's a privileged lawyer from money.

They get married during their first date, and hilarity ensures.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Because people could just have holobabies they turned off when they were busy?