Masks: why the hate?

[F. King Daniel]

I like "Masks" a lot. But that being said, "Magicks of Megas-Tu" is my favourite TAS episode and I think "Into Darkness" is a fantastic movie.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I like "Masks" a lot. But that being said, "Magicks of Megas-Tu" is my favourite TAS episode and I think "Into Darkness" is a fantastic movie.

"Magicks" is one of the few episodes in the whole franchise that swings for the fences.

 

[Coops]

My only real criticism of it would be that the ending seems a bit rushed, other than that, it's a a great sci-fi episode with the emphasis very much on the 'fi'.

 

[at Quark's]

^That's because 87 million year old lost civilizations apparently are just like some people I know in real life. They don't necessarily have a goal behind their actions, beyond being allowed to express their point of view (regardless of whether we'd consider it a sensible point of view or not).

On the episode itself. I think it isn't the strongest episode of the lot, and has some hammy acting, but I still like it for the bizarre feel it has.

 

[Herbert]

I just rewatched it last night as well. I certainly don't hate it...and for S7, it's not half bad (a fresh re-watch of S7 TNG has me feeling that this might legitimately be the worst overall season of Star Trek in the franchise)...but it's pretty trying otherwise.

S7 is bad. It's got some real stinkers in it. Even the ones that aren't stinkers are just, whatever. Feels like they were scraping the bottom of the creative barrel. Looking back it might have been better to end with S6

As far as Masks is concerned, I love it. One of my favorites. It's got something that Next Gen sadly got away from in later seasons, the wonder, and menace, of encountering the new and unexplained in space.

 

[jackoverfull]

Just saying, this was probably related to their religion and the archive was built under the will of their queen to “keep her alive forever” or some other nonsense. The pyramids, with their huge cost in human lives, don’t make much sense either of you don’t consider the cultural background.

 

[Herbert]

I'm not sure that a fictional show set in a fictional future should always have things that "make sense". It's science fiction. Sometimes you just have to switch your brain off and enjoy the ride.

 

[DonIago]

I don't mind "Masks". The tech aspect doesn't make a ton of sense, but I can suspend my disbelief there. Some of Spiner's performances are a bit hammy, which I find harder to ignore, especially as TPTB seemed to push more in the direction of such performances over time. I kind of wish the archaeology aspect had been a bit more complex than "Oh hey, it's the sun and the moon!" but oh well.

Going back to the tech aspect for a moment, I'd assume that the artifact, much like the Iconian probe, didn't interact with the ship as their creators had intended. Why send a probe to download information just to blow up the computer into which you've downloaded the information?

 

[Oddish]

I'm fine with Masks. Back in my VHS VHS Trek days, it was one of those episodes I pulled out a couple times a year. "Messaka is waking" indeed.

 

[Unimatrix Q]

I just rewatched Masks, I only recently realized this episode is a much hated one but I remembered as one i quite liked, even if not as a favorite one, and can confirm I still find it intriguing.

Sure, it's not the most fast-moving episode, sure, the science is very questionable, sure, the resolution feels rushed, but I really like the dark and spooky approach, how different it feels from the rest of TNG and the whole concept of a lost civilization gradually and mysteriously transforming the ship.

Also, both Spiner and Stewart offer splendid performances.

What are your thoughts?

I actually like this episode for the strangeness of this scenario and the alien nature of the culture, causing all of this.

 

[F. King Daniel]

"Masks" was Brent Spiner's "Split"

 

[Lynx]

I actually like Masks.

Exciting and somewhat spooky. However, the end was a bit rushed.

 

[Amaris]

The older I get, the more I really like the episode. Brent has excellent range, and he gets to show it off here. I also like the story, it's nice to have what is essentially a mythology stage play in a sci-fi setting.

 

[Legate Duhmar]

S7 is bad. It's got some real stinkers in it. Even the ones that aren't stinkers are just, whatever. Feels like they were scraping the bottom of the creative barrel. Looking back it might have been better to end with S6

As far as Masks is concerned, I love it. One of my favorites. It's got something that Next Gen sadly got away from in later seasons, the wonder, and menace, of encountering the new and unexplained in space.

I always thought season 7 was good overall but upon rewatch, it was not pretty. It did have a great finale, great 2 parter and maybe 3 other good stand alone episodes....so maybe 6/7 of 24 are of high quality. Sadly for me, "Masks" is not one of the good episodes. It isn't terrible and has some interesting themes that really bring me back to the mid 90s, sun and moon imagery, Aztec aesthetics, TNG but overall it's too contrived and uninteresting to be good.

It repeats the theme of "message from lost civilization" that was already done to Peabody levels of greatness in "The Inner Light". Why revisit the theme with a lesser narrative and truncated conclusion? It is just not a good TNG episode.

 

[Oddish]

Season 7 of TNG is like dinner with the family.

Sometimes your mom grills up steak or salmon with garlic potatoes and fresh veggies ("Lower Decks").

Sometimes you get meat loaf and mac and cheese made from a mix, simple unexceptional comfort food ("Masks").

Sometimes you get some really weird tasting casserole ("Sub Rosa").

 

[Farscape One]

I agree with that statement.

Except the part about putting "Masks" with the mediocre.

 

[Herbert]

Season 7 of TNG is like dinner with the family.
Sometimes you get meat loaf and mac and cheese made from a mix, simple unexceptional comfort food ("Masks").

You haven't had the right meatloaf then. A great loaf is anything but simple and unexceptional.

I felt the same way for years. My mom, an otherwise pretty good cook, made a pretty uninspired meatloaf. It wasn't until I met my wife that I learned meatloaf can be fantastic

 

[E-DUB]

It's not a great premise, but not terrible either. That's not really why I don't like it. I can't get into it, because I personally think Spiner is schlocky as shit in this. It might be his 2nd worst outing on the whole show imho, right behind A Fistful of Datas, for damn near the same reason. I heard tales that the cast & crew were cracking up doing it

It plays as obvious that he & the writing team got together a script, so he could make up for years of having to play the most unaffected character in almost all tv history, by giving him a rare & deserved chance to play something else, which sadly results in a week of shooting, rolling out every silly voice or accent he can muster, which prior to TNG had come from being a comedic actor, & are rather low rent & were mostly done for laughs (See also Night Court), & as a result, I find them laughable, & can't take the damn thing seriously

There have been other times where Spiner got to play outside Data on the show, like Power Play, where I think he's quite good. His turns as Soong are fairly well done as well, & even as Lore, who frankly is about as over the top as it gets, he's still pretty good imho, but Masks & A Fistful of Datas are just too far down that hole, in my book.

I don't like Masks, but love "Fistfull". Go figure.

 

[Mojochi]

I don't like Masks, but love "Fistfull". Go figure.

I actually get that point of view, even if I don't share it. Fistful isn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's just a bit of nonsense fun, like Rascals

 

[Oddish]

Except the part about putting "Masks" with the mediocre.

felt the same way for years. My mom, an otherwise pretty good cook, made a pretty uninspired meatloaf. It wasn't until I met my wife that I learned meatloaf can be fantastic

Well, opinions on both "Masks" and meatloaf will undoubtedly vary.