Shades of Gray wardrobe errors

[nnnnnnn]

Terrible episode anyway, and who can tolerate Pulaski, but these mistakes really were absurd:

(1) When Geordi returns with Data to Surata IV to try and locate the thorn that stung Riker, he does not wear any protective clothing. But Riker had just been stung and badly injured. At the very least, Geordi should have worn protective leg coverings (since Riker was stung on the leg), and probably a full protective suit. Remember, he discusses the danger of gettins stung with Data, but he says he has to go to show Data where Riker was stung. But why not at least wear long boots?

(2) In the sick bay, Riker is fully dressed, including boots, until he finally loses consciousness. But Pulaski knew Riker's condition was deteriorating and could be rapidly fatal. She would immediately have prepared him for the more serious intervention at the end of the episode by getting him into hospital garb, which he is finally wearing at the end.

Also, I don't care what century it is, but injecting people with things through clothes can't be a good idea. Particularly as Riker was just in the planet and his clothes could be carrying all kinds of germs (Pulaski injects Riker with some something through his long-sleeved tunic, rather than having him wear hospital garb.)

 

[Start Wreck]

One could argue that the original away team should have been wearing protective clothing in the first place, or indeed that any away mission to an unknown environment should involve more protection than the standard uniform. It's not specific to this case. Besides, the point of going back down was to try to find the thing that stung Riker. Geordi was being "bait". It wouldn't have worked if the thing couldn't sense his delicious exposed flesh.

The transporter bio-filter would remove any dirt, and I gather hypo-sprays aren't "injections" as such anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem going through material.

Fair points, though.

 

[Timo]

Agreed that LaForge should have tried to replicate the circumstances of the original accident - although I can think of a dozen ways to do that with Star Trek technology without endangering the Chief Engineer.

Injecting through the uniform and injecting through the skin would appear to carry pretty much the same risks. Some sort of sterilizing and decontaminating of the injection point ought to be in order - and no doubt the hypospray automatically takes care of that in every injection. That would seem to be a rather trivial addition to the capabilities of the device. Just have it douse the target area with a sterilizing agent and solvent, and then push the solution with its possible toxins away with pressure. I'd argue, though, that the device is a fairly conventional device after all: it can be used to move fluids from container to body, but it is also seen drawing blood from body to container, with a mechanical hiss and without transporter glimmer.

To be slightly contrary, I always liked Pulaski. A lot. Really, only the Holodoc tops her in my list of Trek medics.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Balrog]

Shades of Grey - episode error

 

[Trek Survivor]

Meh, this episode isn't too bad - it's just the "trendy" fan answer to give as to worst episode of TNG. There are plenty worse out there...

 

[Timo]

Well, as the only clip show in Star Trek ever, it sort of automatically gets a position just below the worst episode imaginable.

There are many ways to do a clip show. "Character reminiscences about his past" only works if the available material covers a plausible stretch of his past. In "Shades of Grey", we obviously got nothing from before TNG Season 1!

Timo Saloniemi

 

[davejames]

Yeah, one could argue that between the cool jungle planet opening, and the flashbacks to more exciting episodes, Shades of Gray was still more entertaining than the dull and lifeless Interface or Unnatural Selection.