Poll Galaxy's Child: in a tng marathon why I skipped this episode?

I like how their Admirals are so bad you can separate them into two different categories. Corrupt or Crazy.


Jason

 

Well, Kenneally ("Ensign Ro") wasn't crazy, nor was Pressman ("The Pegasus") and his associates, or Admiral Ross from DS9.

I still wonder whether Dougherty from INS was corrupt or whether he actually was just following orders (though his interpretation likely got creative).

 

I think Dougherty was following orders but more along the lines of 'Get it done. We don't care how just do it." He could have been a Admiral who was part of Internal Security who likely have their own sort of unique protocols your standard Admirals don't deal with since they are the ones who are more likely connected to any shaddy dealings going on you don't want your leaders to know about in terms of details. Maybe they are the ones who even coordinate with Section 31 sometimes always off the books of course.

Jason

 

The DS9 novels had Dougerty tied up with 31. I didn't really care for that particular wrinkle, though I didn't care for much of INS either.

 

I didn't like the movie either. I kind of liked Dougerty though. He was a bad guy but they didn't do to much mustache twirling with the guy. Much better than all the aliens in the movie. The Baku totally blew.

Jason

 

I almost think my main issue with Dougherty was that he was stupid enough to confront Ru'afo alone while telling the actual mustache-twirler that he wasn't going to help him anymore.

 

I love watching this episode for the fringe factor of Laforge being exposed as a pervert.

I have the ending as it should of ended with Laforge being reprimanded by Picard and/or Starfleet HR not Brahms applying and becoming freinds.

 

Which would have Gene rolling in his grave faster than a Flettner rotor, given he loathed STVI and Starfleet conspiring and all that. But zero conflict also means zero story and not every malevolent invasion force of the week is going to remain compelling. Conversely, it's increasingly used as a crutch when nothing more interesting can be thought of - just make someone in Starfleet go all nutters and the ratings will roll in like oranges." At least for the first time, that trope gets worn out too and TNG and its spinoffs did it way too often (IMHO, YMMV).

 

It's not exactly the "romance of the week", that's for sure.

Part of me wonders if the author was jonesing to use an actual effenheimer in the episode. I'm so glad they didn't, nor was it needed to do. Nor do I want to watch 20th century stick figures talking around. Which is funny as Geordi, especially early on, is popping 20th century references half the time and it's no more cringey now than it was in 1988.

It's clunky at times, and both Geordi and Leah aren't best served - especially as Geordi really comes across unnecessarily creepy with "Is that so?" (but, dang, LeVar acts the hell out if it to try to save the scene) - but it's the best part of this story as the "baby space whale" subplot just did not work for me.

I should give that one another try...

The baby thing that the graphic designers somehow got around censors' wrath with (no, I'm not going to describe it but it's suffice to say that even Barney the Dinosaur is envious over their appearance in some scenes.)

If it's been decades, get some wine or beer or stay awake pills or popplers (with BBQ or ranch dippin' sauce :-9 ) or whatever it takes and try sitting through it even once more.

If you can, watch it on a 80" screen. That way you can be disappointed again, all while seeing smacking great close-ups of all those skin pores on their faces.

Polls are great fun!

 

Can you believe that there's people who ship those two? It's ridiculous.

 

In time, I could see La Forge and Leah reaching a rapprochement and maybe building a more genuine friendship, but in the timespan we're given, I think this episode sends a bad message.

You know...this is the kind of situation where I would have liked to see Deanna's skills as a counselor put to good use.

 

The only reason I think that might happen is the episode of the hologram and la forge, were tight but it's not real in the show .. all faked by a computer simulation..

 

We saw them being friends at the end. Also I do see why people ship them. The actors play well off each other. I mean those two episode with her are great episodes because she is a great guest character and frankly you can see why she was first choice for the Janeway role even though UPN didn't go for it. Why people get upset over this is beyond confusing. Misunderstandings is a common theme in everything from drama to comedy to romance. Without the misunderstanding or Geordi learning not judge people because they don't live up to you expectations you don't have much of a story. Basically people are demanding more Roddenberry perfect people tropes when they talk about how they shouldn't do these kind of things on the show.


Jason

 

That people believe this is merely about a misunderstanding or Geordi learning not to judge people because they don't live up to his expectations highlights exactly the reason why people are upset.

Because there's a lot more going on in this episode than those two things, and those two things may be the least disturbing things that occur in this episode.

Those still mystified as to why others find this episode upsetting may benefit from reading KRAD's review of said episode: https://www.tor.com/2012/04/13/star-trek-the-next-generation-galaxys-child/ I would quote, but I'd be quoting significant amounts of text.

 

Leah Brahms was Q the entire time it was just one of his tricks on Geordi

 

I think KRAD is going off the impression that LaForge was having sex with her hologram which is something I just don't buy. Even her sort of sexual line is just a repeat what the holographic version said from the previous episode which he has no control over the language the hologram would use. That's basically the computer coming up with her dialogue though it is interesting where it pulled that line from since it didn't have access to personal logs. Maybe the real Brahams said something like that in a interview or something and the computer just spit out to Geordi. I do think LaForge might deserve some blame for not erasing the program but I would say that is more to be kind of careless and also just kind of assuming nobody including him would even ever use the program again so why bother.

I mean it was a work program so he should have did a better job of erasing it but to me that is a mistake and not something sinister. Also the review completely forgets the part where she came aboard being hostile literally seconds from stepping off the transporter pad. Like I said before things would have played out very different if she herself hadn't also come aboard with some pre-conceptions of him. As for him having romantic interest to me that is simply not a bad thing. He asked her out and she shot him down. He didn't insult her when she made it clear she wasn't interested or anything like that. He was disappointed and even sulked a little until he talked with Guinan but to me that is just normal. People get hurt and you don't just get over it. Sometimes some friendly advice like he got helps put things in perspective.


Jason

 

So...it's her fault for not having a pleasant attitude for unrelated reasons? Are you familiar with the phrase 'victim-blaming'?

Him having romantic interest is not a bad thing. Him taking advantage of the information he has about her to try to coerce her into reciprocating his romantic interest is.

And someone who actually valued her feelings would have told her about their existing experience with 'her' before trying to set up a romantic situation. Frankly it would have saved them both a ton of embarassment if nothing else.

Geordi's damn lucky Brahms didn't report his conduct to Picard.

 

She didn't just beam aboard with a unpleasant attitude. First thing she says is a insult, a insult to a complete stranger in fact with her "So your the one who has fouled up my engines." A fight that I guess continued on for awhile because when we come back from commercial break their still bickering over engine stuff in main engineering. As for the information he knows about her it is not really nothing. One meal she likes. He doesn't have access to anything personal to really manipulate her with even if he wanted to do that. To me him trying to be romantic to impress her is not the same as manipulation. He is not really try to play mind games with her or anything like that.

To me the romantic dinner was going to be the moment where he tries to get to know her better at which case he would no doubt tell her about his previous adventure and maybe his hopes assuming she was receptive. If not then I am guessing it would have went they way it did go. She leaves and that's basically the end of him trying to woo her. I mean when you watch you can see that after she shoots him down he stops trying to impress her in a romantic way but it doesn't get in the way of the work. They still work as proffesionals to try figure out the space baby. I think were we disagree with is timing. You think he should have said something before the diner and I think the diner is when it would have been the best time to tell her the truth. I think that is partially because even though he sort of talks about it as a romantic first date I don't think that is the same as Geordi trying to get layed which IMO would be icky. I think he is just trying to impress her with hopes of something more intimate later because Geordi is not Riker. He isn't one to really be into casual sex like he would be. Granted if sex did enter the picture I don't think he would say no but I just don't see him as being all demanding and mean if she said no. He would do kind of what he did do. Go talk to a friend and vent a little and pout like he did with Guinan but he is a adult. He would have gotten over it like he also did.


Jason

 

The proper time to tell someone that you have an undue amount of information that might influence the course of your relationship with them is before you use that information to try to influence the course of your relationship with them.

"Hey...just so you know, because I don't want you to get the wrong idea about anything...last year our ship was facing a crisis, and in an effort to save us I had the computer create a holographic simulation of you. I didn't use it for anything inappropriate exactly, but...we did kiss at one point, and I understand if you'd rather work with one of my junior engineers."

 

That sounds like something that would make her feel more uncomfortable. Just blurting that out despite the fact they just meet for the first time. Especially when you have just been fighting with her over engine stuff. Then before you know it you got a space baby crisis. Opening up to people is just not easy for people especially I suspect for some like Geordi who doesn't exactly have a good track record with romance to begin with..

As for working for the junior engineers I don't think that would work. She was their mostly to checkout the engines. Something that would defiantly require you to talk with the chief engineer. Also I just don't think he does have a huge amount of info. He only knows what the fake hologram showed him. He knows one type of food but he is so in the dark he didn't even figure out she was married. He clearly didn't check up and read to much about the real Leah after that first adventure. He was content with the hologram experience and I guess he never even thought he would ever meet the real person.


Jason