Shades of Gray - how would you fix the episode?

[locutus101]

Idea 1. A Clip Show, but using all alternate unused takes from the previous episodes, so at least there's something original to look at, even if the plots are retread.

Idea 2. Take the money used for shooting the original scenes, taken a good, solid, full episode script, found some 7-11 year olds who liked Star Trek, given them some TNG action figures and ship toy/models, explained the script to them - and then shot them acting out the script with the toys using a camcorder. Any direction I might need to give them would be left in the filming. And then I would have slapped a disclaimer on the front about having run out of money. And enjoyed watching people like us have fits arguing about whether or not it's canon and if so, how that would work.

Idea 3. Do a "behind the scenes" episode instead. Use clips that couldn't have been used in any episode because they had production errors or what-have-you, and original footage with crew members talking about what they do.

Idea 4. Replay an episode of TOS, but use the tiny budget to film a couple of scenes that weren't in the original involving some alien species (not TOS cast or sets, obviously), that could be used to tie it together with another episode in the coming season. Boom - TOS/TNG crossover.

I like the idea of kids acting out the script.

 

[locutus101]

What would make it memorable then?

I mean, I recall the lawyer's speech (his name escapes me) about the shame that Worf must be feeling, as well as the different recreation of events from different points of view. Sisko's speech at the end is also one of my favorite parts as he dismantles the argument piece by piece.

Personally, I rather like the episode, but to each their own.

Well, for one thing I found it hard to believe that the Klingons would keep the death of four hundred people a secret for six months in order to frame worf, since they couldn't possibly have known that they would get this opportunity. Also if sending fake life-signs is so easy to do then how come that it's still considered a reliable piece of evidence? So reliable in fact that they would sentence someone solely on that. Doesn't seem very consistent to me.

 

[fireproof78]

Well, for one thing I found it hard to believe that the Klingons would keep the death of four hundred people a secret for six months in order to frame worf, since they couldn't possibly have known that they would get this opportunity. Also if sending fake life-signs is so easy to do then how come that it's still considered a reliable piece of evidence? So reliable in fact that they would sentence someone solely on that. Doesn't seem very consistent to me.

Considering fake life signs were used in fooling the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar, I'm not exactly surprised by such a technological use.

I'm also not surprised that the Klingons might try to utilize the political angle. Sisko accuses the lawyer of seeking an excuse to invade a certain system, so it sounds like a lot of political maneuvering, not just to discredit Worf, but to get the Starfleet to change its behavior.

 

[locutus101]

Considering fake life signs were used in fooling the Obsidian Order and the Tal Shiar, I'm not exactly surprised by such a technological use.

I'm also not surprised that the Klingons might try to utilize the political angle. Sisko accuses the lawyer of seeking an excuse to invade a certain system, so it sounds like a lot of political maneuvering, not just to discredit Worf, but to get the Starfleet to change its behavior.

I am not talking about that. I am saying that the Klingon couldn't possibly have kept the death of four hundred people a secret for six months, because they couldn't have known this long in advance that they would need to. Plus that would mean coaching thousands of people to pretend that their family member of friend continued to live for all that time, while lying to the people making the inquest. That's just impossible. Do you realize that Odo coul have called just anyone of these thousands of people and that they should have given him answers consistent with any of the others. This is more than impossible, this is just insane!

 

[fireproof78]

I am not talking about that. I am saying that the Klingon couldn't possibly have kept the death of four hundred people a secret for six months, because they couldn't have known this long in advance that they would need to. Plus that would mean coaching thousands of people to pretend that their family member of friend continued to live for all that time, while lying to the people making the inquest. That's just impossible. Do you realize that Odo coul have called just anyone of these thousands of people and that they should have given him answers consistent with any of the others. This is more than impossible, this is just insane!

Well, when you put it that way....

No, no, I still enjoy the episode.

 

[Lance]

Idea 3. Do a "behind the scenes" episode instead. Use clips that couldn't have been used in any episode because they had production errors or what-have-you, and original footage with crew members talking about what they do.

Hmm, I like that idea. That might've actually worked. It still would've been a clip show, because they could've illustrated the series with 'favourite moments' or whatever, but they could've devoted the shooting time to sitting the actors down and asking them questions about their characters etc.

 

[locutus101]

Well, when you put it that way....

No, no, I still enjoy the episode.

The thing is that it is still entertaining but with the caveat that you shouldn't think too much about it.
Take the Klingon advocate for example, he violated worf's privacy. If the Admiral was worth anything she should have disqualified him right there without even asking what worf had to say, besides what if worf had Starfleet secrets in his quarters? When the advocate started goading worf into hitting him, she should have had him arrested and sent to the brig for severe contempt of court. Instead she barely protested. You call that a Judge?

 

[USS Triumphant]

Hmm, I like that idea. That might've actually worked. It still would've been a clip show, because they could've illustrated the series with 'favourite moments' or whatever, but they could've devoted the shooting time to sitting the actors down and asking them questions about their characters etc.

When I said "crew members", I meant for the show, not the ship - but yeah, that would work, too.

 

[locutus101]

Hmm, I like that idea. That might've actually worked. It still would've been a clip show, because they could've illustrated the series with 'favourite moments' or whatever, but they could've devoted the shooting time to sitting the actors down and asking them questions about their characters etc.

That's not a clip show, that's a talk show.

 

[RAMA]

Add clips from Star Trek Beyond in them

 

[locutus101]

Add clips from Star Trek Beyond in them

That would be a little confusing.

 

[fireproof78]

No more confusing than adding clips of Renegades as official productions

 

[locutus101]

No more confusing than adding clips of Renegades as official productions

Definitely.

 

[MacLeod]

Does firing into space count?

It might have been better to go with a 21 episode season and spend the what little money there was on other episodes.

 

[locutus101]

Does firing into space count?

It might have been better to go with a 21 episode season and spend the what little money there was on other episodes.

But they did get some return on investment with that episode.

 

[Tenacity]

The episode's flash back scenes would all be reproduced using muppets.

 

[Kevin Wolff]

Have Riker lose 30 lbs as a direct result from contracting that virus, It would then go down in history as a key episode.
I've seen every TNG a minimum of 20 times conservatively, but only saw that twice since it aired. I thought at the time it meant the show was being canceled.