Genesis

[Trekker4747]

This episode, to me, mostly proves what an idiot Braga is, was, and how non-seriously he took the premise of the universe. I admit he was behind some good Trek episodes yet at the same time he did those episodes while under the watch-ful eye of someone more talented. (Piller, for one.)

But Genesis while an inteteresting episode, well made, well-acted, well-effects-'d...ed (?!), it pretty much shrugs off many aspects of the show and the "universe" it took place in. Much like many Voyager episodes where many epsiodes ignored the plight the ship was in occasional episodes were so one-off that it pretty much ignored the fact that this "really happened" to the characters and it has to make god damn sense with the rest of the universe.

Ignorning the science in the episode, let's see some problems this episode presents with the "reality" of the universe and that this wasn't a stand-alone, altered universe, episode that didn't have anything happen before and after it as would be the case in, say, a SciFi movie of the week.

1. How were the children on the ship effected by this "virus."

2. Ok, fuck it, I am going to mention a science thing. It's said that Riker's, who de-evolved into a protohuman, brain was smaller as his skull thickened. Sooo.... how did reversing the "virus" cause what was in those sections of his brain to comeback? Wouldn't he have massive memory or skill loss? Infact, this would probably apply to everyone on the ship. Barklay may very well have "de-evolved" into a more insectian brain. So... How did he get all of his skills back?

3. Worf sprays Beverly with a venom. Ogawa tells us that Bev was but into stasis before the venom paralyzed her and she'd need reconstructive surgery. At the end of the episode life seems normal on the ship and even Beverly is there all happy and perfectly normal. Other than, you know, almost being paralyzed and needing reconstrucitve surgery! But we needed to get back to the norm for the next episode, didn't we Braga?

4. Why the fuck would Data's quarters have and independant computer core? Oh, because he needs a computer to solve the problem but for the "scaryness" to work the ship's computer needs to be off. Know what else? Holodecks also run on their own systems because we need those too for one-off episodes but it wouldn't make sense to use them and conserve power! God, what an idiot. He didn't take the god damn show or it's science seriously. He just made up whatever and did whatever.

5. The ship is powered down, the warp engines off, yet the warp core is still pulsing.

There's more but this episode pisses me off. I mean on the surface it's a decent episode but when you analyze it and think "this really happened" to these characters and then watch the ending act, or following episodes it's like it didn't happen. Because life is just perfectly normal at the end of the episode.

Besides members of the crew being killed.
Members of the crew experiencing a pretty traumatic experience.
There are fucking children on the ship!
Beverly needed reconstructive surgery and nearly paralyzed but she's all normal and quippy at the end.
Riker's brain is "much smaller" but at the end doesn't need to be completely re-trained or taught anything. The brain that grew back just "knew" what it was supposed to know.
Ummm... Geordi? What happened to Geordi?
Can just anyone on the bridge change the temperature? Why wouldn't the computer only accept commands from who has the con?
So.. a single hyposhot caused an airborne virus that reactivates people's DNA and causes them to de-evolve. Seriously, fucking, really?

Fuck you Braga.

 

[Unicron]

Considering how illogical it is for the virus to even behave the way it does, I don't see any huge problems for the cure to magically undo effects like those that afflicted Riker and Barclay. The whole ep is sort of a mind screw. It's kind of like trying to take "The Deadly Years" in a serious light and pretend that the rapid aging wouldn't realistically have done a lot more damage to Kirk and his crewmates, if it didn't outright prove fatal.

Clearly the sickbay staff is very skilled at reconstructive surgery.

 

[Hober Mallow]

This episode and Voyager's "Threshold" were embarrassing displays of a complete inability to have even a tenuous grasp of the most elementary understanding of evolution. The "de-evolving" of individual people is as ridiculous as my 2002 model car magically "de-evolving" into a 1910 Ford model T.

 

[Praxius]

Considering half of the crap each crew member has gone through over the years on that show, they should all be bouncing off the padded walls by now..... but they're supposed to be trained for the unexpected and besides, they got Troi to talk to. :P

And just because someone's brain apparently shrunk, that doesn't mean one would lose all their memories and other information stored in the brain, since they say we don't exactly use every part of our brains to their full potential anyways, there's room.

When it shrunk, there could have been problems with certain connections to the information being lost, but there's no evidence they'd lose everything because of this virus and what was occurring to them.

Also, their DNA through their entire lives remained exactly as it should be for so long, not only would it take them time to have their DNA so modified to the point their original self wouldn't exist, but it would be easier for their bodies to adjust back to their normal DNA patterns/structures then it would to allow it to continue modifying towards another animal.

And since they didn't completely turn into the animals they were turning into, there's no evidence that they couldn't be brought back to their full selves with the technology and knowledge they have during their era..... since they already can pull off miracles with just a strand of normal hair from someone's brush (see the episode where Polaski was aging) I don't see this is as being a big issue.

Having reconstructive surgery today is a long, complicated, and usually very painful process which doesn't often bring someone back to 100% of their original appearance.... yet during their time, they can surgically alter you to look like any alien or just about anything.... they give the impression that it's not all that hard if you know what you're doing, and it's painless as tossing on a wig...... so I doubt people of that era are as freaked out about such things as we are today.

How were the children affected on this episode?

The exact same way as everybody else on the ship

Reversing the virus, as you put it, has been done in other episodes in the past, and their argument was usually related to the fact that the virus hasn't completed it's transformation of the body, which the body is usually trying to resist via immune system, etc..... if they can neutralize the virus, then the body can have time to fight the existing changes and thus, "reverse" the process. (See the episode where Laforge was turning into that blue cloaking lizard thingy)

Data's computer always had an independent computer core and was generally always tied into the ship because on his off time, he normally did a lot of work and research on that computer throughout the series.

Just because the Warp Engines are offline, doesn't automatically mean the Core wouldn't be operating, as there could have been a problem or damage somewhere along the connections between the core and the nacelles.... not necessarily the core itself.

As I understand it, anybody can change the temp on the bridge unless someone of a higher rank wishes to change it.... since both Troi and Worf were Lt. Commanders, they kept bouncing the computer around until Troi got fed up with Worf's stubbornness.

What they based their explanation in regards of recreating an airborne virus is hypothetically possible, if it was somehow released through Reg's pheromones, it would thus be inhaled by others nearby, they'd become infected and then continue releasing the virus through their pheromones..... and so on.

But more importantly..... Dude, it's just a show for entertainment.... chill.

I personally enjoyed and consider that as one of their best episodes. It's was a nice change to creepy and border-line horror show.

 

[Trekker4747]

Dude, it's just a show for entertainment.... chill.

Doesn't mean it shouldn't make sense. Saying it's "just a show" is how we got seven years of Voyager pretty much violating all of and of the common sense that was built into its premise and how the tiny ship went though a couple scores of shuttle craft.

 

[Danny99]

The serious of star trek online is not the movie,but also the game,especially the *link deleted* game,It is really good,and it is really interesting,I like playing it very much.

TROLL!

 

[Gepard]

The serious of star trek online is not the movie,but also the game,especially the *link deleted* game,It is really good,and it is really interesting,I like playing it very much.

TROLL!

SPAM! SOLICITATION!

Oh, and reported.

 

[Mister_Atoz]

I'm with you 4747, I hate this episode.

I mean Worf kills and eats the helmsman. Can you imagine what Picard's condolense letter to thier family would sound like?

 

[Unicron]

Well, he was a redshirt.

 

[Praxius]

Dude, it's just a show for entertainment.... chill.

Doesn't mean it shouldn't make sense. Saying it's "just a show" is how we got seven years of Voyager pretty much violating all of and of the common sense that was built into its premise and how the tiny ship went though a couple scores of shuttle craft.

Well I explained his issues as they made sense to me, the episode seemed logical to me.... I can understand having and posting issues one sees in an episode or story and pointing them out, I do it too.... but the way he was raging on about the episode to the level of needing to swear seems a little over-blown, thus my comment of it just being a show for entertainment and to chill.

 

[startrekwatcher]

I must be in the minority because I enjoyed "Genesis" and count it among the better and more enjoyable season seven episodes.

I thought almost all of Brannon's episodes on TNG were great to good and whenever I saw an episode with his name attached I knew I was in for a treat. I have never understood the amount of anger--I mean really anger--directed at him. You might not like his stuff but to have such vitriol is astounding.

I could care less about accurate science on a science fiction show so you'll forgive me if I don't get excised over it. The episode excelled in atmospherics, make-up and plotting. I also loved the shot of the Ent-D in a roll adrift.

And while I don't complain when a series has continuity and events are followed up on, I also don't mind how TNG would remain true to its episodic nature and let the audience realize that certain things like Bev's surgery happened offscreen.

 

[Praxius]

I must be in the minority because I enjoyed "Genesis" and count it among the better and more enjoyable season seven episodes.

I thought almost all of Brannon's episodes on TNG were great to good and whenever I saw an episode with his name attached I knew I was in for a treat. I have never understood the amount of anger--I mean really anger--directed at him. You might not like his stuff but to have such vitriol is astounding.

I could care less about accurate science on a science fiction show so you'll forgive me if I don't get excised over it. The episode excelled in atmospherics, make-up and plotting. I also loved the shot of the Ent-D in a roll adrift.

And while I don't complain when a series has continuity and events are followed up on, I also don't mind how TNG would remain true to its episodic nature and let the audience realize that certain things like Bev's surgery happened offscreen.

Also, keep in mind that many of the episodes usually have a few weeks to a couple of months between them sometimes (the stories, not the viewing of episodes on tv)..... it's not a continuing day in-day out roller coaster for the crew and we're not shown every single aspect of what occurs with them all, and are only shown the "Highlights" if you will of their adventures.

In fact there are episodes that span weeks or months in themselves in order to tell the whole story in an hour long time slot..... sometimes the following episode starts off a month or more after the events of the last episode occurred.

 

[Hober Mallow]

I thought almost all of Brannon's episodes on TNG were great to good and whenever I saw an episode with his name attached I knew I was in for a treat. I have never understood the amount of anger--I mean really anger--directed at him. You might not like his stuff but to have such vitriol is astounding.

Yeah, I've never understood directing anger against people you don't know.

That said, I've never cared for any of Brannon Braga's work. Even his best stuff, like "Parallels" and "Cause and Effect" are technobabble-heavies, and "Cause and Effect" is just a ripoff of "The Tunnel Under the World," a much better version of the same story.

I could care less about accurate science on a science fiction show so you'll forgive me if I don't get excised over it.

It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so basic. Would you say the same thing if Braga wrote a script about how gravity is caused by "atmospheric compression" or some other such nonsense? There's getting some nitpicky things about science wrong, and then there's just getting the elementary school basics wrong. It's embarrassing for a show that's supposed to be directed at a fairly intelligent audience.

 

[Geck]

I loved this episode when it first aired, when I was 10. Now I pretty much need to be high while watching it or yeah, it just angers me. It's TNG's "Threshold" - just as embarrassingly stupid and only marginally more entertaining. The only S7 ep I'd rate lower than this one is "Force of Nature".

 

[Harvey]

The premise is too absurd to take seriously, but the atmosphere is excellent and the make-up designs exceptional. It also provides for one final appearance by Dwight Schultz as Reginald Barclay, at least when it comes to this itteration of the franchise (he'd of course be back for a cameo in Star Trek: First Contact and several episodes of Star Trek: Voyager).

It also presents the series in a mode that I particularly enjoyed: the weird. For all its reputation as a bright and conventional sf program, the series was often at its most watchable (for me) when it allowed itself to entertain more bizarre kinds of storytelling. "Genesis" isn't the best example of this ("Phantasms," "Masks," and "Timescape" are better), but it's not bad...once you get past the magic passed off as science.

 

[Ghrakh]

This episode, to me, mostly proves what an idiot Braga is, was, and how non-seriously he took the premise of the universe.

I don't agree, I put him up there with Orci and Kurtzman in solid story writing talent.

 

[startrekwatcher]

That said, I've never cared for any of Brannon Braga's work. Even his best stuff, like "Parallels" and "Cause and Effect" are technobabble-heavies

Brannon is a plot/high concept guy but he did those kinds of stories so well. And yes he used techno-babble but he used it effectively as a means to an end to propel the story. It sounded believable enough and that's all I would ask.

I always thought his stories had plenty of great twists/turns and neat ideas. He was never a character writer but used them well.

"Cause and Effect" is just a ripoff of "The Tunnel Under the World," a much better version of the same story.

We'll have to agree to disagree. It's a classic. I loved his boldness to dare repeat scenes and the story was just so well assembled. I know some don't like this--some don't like "The Best of Both Worlds"--but I think its excellent in the mold of the very best of The Twilight Zone.

t wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so basic. Would you say the same thing if Braga wrote a script about how gravity is caused by "atmospheric compression" or some other such nonsense?

Truthfully I don't pay all that much attention to the science on the show--so no it wouldn't bother me. I loved "The Chase" even though its science is flawed. I don't hate "Threshold" the way everyone else does because of the whole evolution commotion--it has some nice scenes involving Paris. I don't care if Ro and Geordi don't fall through the floor when they are phased in "The Next Phase" and the list goes on and on.

 

[Desert Kris]

Hmmm, I watched this episode recently, having finally acquired the last season of TNG. I had good memories of the episode when it first broadcast, and of talking about it at school with friends the next day.

As I watched it, I catalogued in the back of my mine some items that were problematic in terms of hard sci-fi plausability, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the hell out the production.

I mean, I'm sure I laughed occasionally at unlikely circumstances, but I also laughed about Barkley going hyper, Worf and Troi getting tetchy with each other, and just a lot of other things. I laughed when Beverly was writhing on the floor of sickbay after getting a face full of Worf's primordial acid venom, but not because I'm cruel, or don't like Beverly. I like Dr. Crusher a lot, but it was such a great shock that I didn't remember after all the intervening years, and it was such a jarring moment of effective, melodramatic horror in what is otherwise most often a fairly relaxed and intellectual show.

There is the curiosity about what happens to non-human crew members, we get a potential glimpse of Betazoid and Klingon evolutionary history. What happens to Worf is just...formidable! It is sad that a crew member died, yet it pushes forward how impressive and frightening Klingon evolutionary history might be. It also interesting to have one of the familiar crew become something truly horrific.

Just good fun, I thought.

 

[Trekker4747]

I will say that that is something I did really like seeing a proto-Klingon. The Klingon pre-history must've been terrifying.

 

[Kelthaz]

I love Genesis. A very fun TNG episode that I would easily rank in my top 25.