Nemesis - How did You Like the Dialoge

[tomalak301]

In returning to where I left off on my Season 4 Voyager rewatch, I got to probably my favorite Chakotay episode and one of the most underrated episodes of the series, Nemesis. I never see this episode talked about on here (Other than the recent game that went on here) but it really is one of the more unique episodes of Star Trek.

When I say Unique, I'm of course talking about the dialog. Instead of death you get way after, instead of know/understand, you get Fathom (This was the episode that taught me what Fathom meant by the way), instead of later or future you get Soon After. This dialog could get annoying sometimes, but I actually loved it, as it added to the alien race that this episode dealt with. It made them unique, and I actually wanted to root for them because of that and the Cretons looked like Nausicaans.

So what say you. Did the unique dialog add to the episode or could you have done without it.

 

[Markira]

I loved it. I thought the language was interesting and it showed how Chakotay was becoming part of the alien culture as he began talking like them.

 

[tomalak301]

I was reading an interesting comment last night that the language was part of the propaganda machine that the episode was trying to address. Looking at it from that perspective, it does make the episode better.

 

[F. King Daniel]

One of the worst episodes ever. The direction and acting killed it. Beltran has zero charisma. He bored the hell out of me and totally failed to carry the episode. As for the aliens, I thought the awkward delivery on top of the stupid "alien" dialogue made the soldiers seem retarded. Maybe if they were wearing goofy cutesy rubber alien heads and talked in squeaky voices it might have worked a little better. As it was, Chakotay was hanging out with the Special Ed militia.

All a massive shame, because there's a good story in there somewhere.

 

[Michael]

One of the best episodes ever. I love the idea of the faux language. It really adds to the idea of it being an alien race and some of it sounds rather poetic. The episode itself has a nice Twilight Zone-ish quality to it and feels nicely surreal most of the time. It has some plotting problems at the end, but I love Beltran as Chakotay and am glad they were still doing these kind of shows on Voyager.

 

[exodus]

In returning to where I left off on my Season 4 Voyager rewatch, I got to probably my favorite Chakotay episode and one of the most underrated episodes of the series, Nemesis. I never see this episode talked about on here (Other than the recent game that went on here) but it really is one of the more unique episodes of Star Trek.

When I say Unique, I'm of course talking about the dialog. Instead of death you get way after, instead of know/understand, you get Fathom (This was the episode that taught me what Fathom meant by the way), instead of later or future you get Soon After. This dialog could get annoying sometimes, but I actually loved it, as it added to the alien race that this episode dealt with. It made them unique, and I actually wanted to root for them because of that and the Cretons looked like Nausicaans.

So what say you. Did the unique dialog add to the episode or could you have done without it.

Loved it just as much as you did.
I didn't find the dialog got annoying because it shows creativity and intelligence very few shows do, by the simple use of a Thesaurus. Great way to educate someone on broadening their vocabulary. I also it makes sense that the universal translator would translate a different dialect using different words because not all words or terms of a foreign language translate exactly to English definitions but rather something close.

 

[Lynx]

I love this episode. The whole scenario where we get an inityal impression that the people Chakotay ended up with are the "good guys" but then comes the twist in the tale which changes everything.

I like the aliens strange language too because it made them unique in some way.

Not to mention that it's a very good Chakotay episode too.

I'll give it 4 points out of 5.

 

[tomalak301]

In thinking about the Chakotay episodes this series had (Not many mind you), I think this episode was either the best, or the second best behind Unity. Can't really decide which one I like better, but this episode didn't deal with the Borg so it might come out ahead.

 

[creek_chub]

I thought the dialogue in this episode was really interesting from a linguistic point of view. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I assumed that the words Chakotay heard (and we the viewers, too, since I also assumed we were watching from Chakotay's pov) were being translated through the Universal Translator which didn't translate the vocabulary in the exact same way we would speak it because perhaps we don't have the words necessary to exactly encompass the nuances in meaning of that alien language.

Since language is really the only way to express thoughts, I found the possibility of an alien race thinking so differently from humans that the language didn't translate exactly to be an interesting take on how to show that the aliens WERE different. It seems like we always get the Forehead of the Week instead of something a little more intellectual to show the differences.

Definitely a thumbs up, even if I can't remember much of the plot...

 

[Markira]

In returning to where I left off on my Season 4 Voyager rewatch, I got to probably my favorite Chakotay episode and one of the most underrated episodes of the series, Nemesis. I never see this episode talked about on here (Other than the recent game that went on here) but it really is one of the more unique episodes of Star Trek.

When I say Unique, I'm of course talking about the dialog. Instead of death you get way after, instead of know/understand, you get Fathom (This was the episode that taught me what Fathom meant by the way), instead of later or future you get Soon After. This dialog could get annoying sometimes, but I actually loved it, as it added to the alien race that this episode dealt with. It made them unique, and I actually wanted to root for them because of that and the Cretons looked like Nausicaans.

So what say you. Did the unique dialog add to the episode or could you have done without it.

Loved it just as much as you did.
I didn't find the dialog got annoying because it shows creativity and intelligence very few shows do, by the simple use of a Thesaurus. Great way to educate someone on broadening their vocabulary. I also it makes sense that the universal translator would translate a different dialect using different words because not all words or terms of a foreign language translate exactly to English definitions but rather something close.

Very good point. Universal translator gripes can be explained this way.

I also agree that this is the best Chakotay episode, imho.

 

[Brikar99]

I really liked the idea of the episode, but the execution of it didn't work for me. It felt less like a new way of speaking and more like someone had just picked a few words out of the thesaurus to insert into regular lines. Direction of the action sequences is flat at best.

 

[exodus]

In thinking about the Chakotay episodes this series had (Not many mind you), I think this episode was either the best, or the second best behind Unity. Can't really decide which one I like better, but this episode didn't deal with the Borg so it might come out ahead.

I think "Distant Origin" is a good ep. featuring Chakotay.
Odd part is, while it's a good ep. I think it's the only ep. in the series where Chakotay featured and yet has the least amount of dialog.

 

[Lynx]

^^
I agree. I find "Distant Origin" a very good Chakotay episode and a good episode overall.

"Unity" is also good.

 

[Brolan]

I was impressed how the writers took the time to make the aliens sound alien by changing the structure of how they talked.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I fathomed it.