Shatnertage's Mostly-1st-Time Watch Thread

[Shatnertage]

I feel like I got taken for a ride, which means I just got done watching...

"The Passenger"

I think I've seen this episode before, because it feels extremely derivative. Ironically, it reminds me most of VOY: "Warlord," but I know that was made after "The Passenger," so it's hardly ripping off "Warlord." It also reminds me a bit of "Power Play," so it's a good thing O'Brien wasn't the one taken over.

Since I figured that, unless the opening death grip let the prisoner survive, we wouldn't have a very long episode, there really wasn't much suspense. I had some fun, though: every time someone said "Vantika" I'd reply, "He's quite the romantica." I don't know why, but it seemed funny.

Odo was kind of a diva about Primmin, but at least he recognized when Primmin did something smart at the end. And for once the Starfleet outsider wasn't a total tool.

My biggest takeaway from this was that Alexander Siddig's portrayal of Vantika inhabiting the body of Bashir was awful. Just awful. The...way...he...just...spoke...slowly...made...it...painful...to...watch.

But there was a part that had me in stitches. Towards the end, when they send the pulse thing up the tractor beam and disrupt Vantika's control, Bashir writhes around and grabs his head, totally fluffing up his hair. For a second, he looks a lot like Michael Richards as Kramer. Hysterical. Then they beam him back aboard and his hair is down again.

Jadzia also had a bad hair day--I really didn't like her look in this one.

So this one was pretty forgettable.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I wouldn't say the awful acting here is "forgettable." But I don't mean that in a good way.

I think you've just seen the low point of Season 1.

 

[Shatnertage]

That's a relief to hear. So far, it's been a real mixed bag. I really don't want to go through weeks of this before it gets good.

 

[Canadave]

Unfortunately, most of S1 hovers around mediocre. "The Passenger" is definitely one of the low-points, but since you haven't gotten to "Move Along Home" yet, I personally wouldn't say you've hit the low-point. Still, once you get to the end of the season, you'll start to get a taste of the maturity and solid writing that DS9 became known for.

 

[T.D. Possum]

You might like "Move Along Home", though. Rather in the line of "Sub Rosa", though not as good as "Spock's Brain".

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

"Move Along Home" is campy, but fun. (MUCH more fun than "Sub Rosa," though.) Don't take it excessively seriously, though--just look at it as fun.

 

[Canadave]

Well, yes, there are elements of "Move Along Home" that do pass into so-bad-it's-good territory.

 

[Eyes]

Then again, if you look at it in a certain way, Bashir's 'acting' in The Passenger can pass into the so-bad-it's-good category.

In a very certain way, and you have to get over the cringy-ness.

It's the only thing of note in that episode anyway.

Definitely agree with the 'Move Along Home is the campest thing in Trek' movement. I can't really think of anything camper.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I don't think "Move Along Home" quite beats TOS for camp. But it certainly was campy. Fun, though. And I really think the age you see something can affect your perceptions, too. When I saw it, I was still a kid, and from a child's perspective, it was wonderful. I can still see it that way.

 

[Sykonee]

Camp's fine when it knows it's camp, which is probably why I like S3's Fascination so much. Move Along Home plays things far too straight to really be campy fun.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Passenger, then. Yeah, how about that Siddig, eh?

 

[Admiral Shran]

"The Passenger"

Since I figured that, unless the opening death grip let the prisoner survive, we wouldn't have a very long episode, there really wasn't much suspense.

You hit the nail right on the head there. Of all this episode's problems, and there are many, this is hands down the worst.

Only somebody not watching the episode would not know that Bashir is the culprit.

 

[TheGodBen]

My biggest takeaway from this was that Alexander Siddig's portrayal of Vantika inhabiting the body of Bashir was awful. Just awful. The...way...he...just...spoke...slowly...made...it...painful...to...watch.

Yeah, what was that about? Usually Sid is a fine actor and the only time he's this bad again is in Let He Who Is Without Sin, and he had a good excuse for that episode as his son was born the night before and he was zoned out while shooting. I don't know what happened to him before shooting that scene in The Passenger, but it must have been pretty damn exceptional.

That's a relief to hear. So far, it's been a real mixed bag. I really don't want to go through weeks of this before it gets good.

Canadave already said it, but it bears repeating that you're not out of the doldrums yet. I personally think that The Passenger is the low-point of the season, but there's a few episodes that come close to its level. Luckily, it's not all bad and there's a few good episodes mixed in with the muck.

 

[Shatnertage]

All I can say is that no warning prepared me for just how bad this episode was. It truly made me want to smash my DVD player into a million pieces and then...

"Move Along Home"

"Awful" doesn't even begin to describe this episode. It's bad. Really bad. There are a few redeeming qualities (unfortunately, the acting of the main cast isn't among them), but this is the kind of episode that loses viewers for shows. Permanently.

It's got some clever ideas, particularly the concept that the Wadi aren't interested in Sisko's high-flown diplomacy, but in money. I read Matt Ridley's "The Rational Optimist" a while back, and I'm intrigued by his idea that trade, not ideology or warface, has been the big driver in human development. It'd been interesting seeing that idea applied to sci fi. The fact that they're interested in gambling--well, I couldn't be happier.

Nice moment with Bashir losing his dress uniform, and Sisko's displeasure. It's also fun to see something that's kind of routine for the Enterprise--first contact--is a huge deal for Sisko. At first.

But as executed, it's a real disappointment. It's totally obvious to the audience that Sisko, Kira, Bashir, and Dax are in some kind of "living chess game" long before they or Odo figures it out. So it's just kind of a slog instead of a riveting drama.

There were a lot of moments that made me cringe, some of which I guess is because of poor direction. In the first scene in the maze, Bashir and Kira and wildly over-acting, while Sisko and Dax are completely under-acting. And that final cave scene wasn't anyone's finest hour, that's for sure.

It was a mildly-interesting concept, but it needed some real tweaking and a solid B-story to make it any good. It's safe to say I won't be doubling down on "Move Along Home" anytime soon.

 

[lurok]

. Ranks up there with Plato's Stepchildren, Masks and that crazy VOY clown one as wackiest/bad-surreal Trek ep...

 

[Shatnertage]

I was thinking that it has a very TOS Season 3 feel to it, and not in a good way. I really expected Kirk to talk a computer to death to get them out of it.

 

[Canadave]

Yeah, as I said earlier, it's my personal low point for season one. Just awful all-around. Now I just laugh at it, what with the space!hopscotch and Triangles O' Death.

 

[Athena28]

Back with an episode that made my earlier trepidation seem absolutely...

"Q-Less"

..The boxing match was awesome, particularly Q's period mustache. His surprise as Sisko hitting him was pretty funny, too. Though I'm not quite sure what this implies about Sisko--that's he's a doer and not a ponderer, that he's more active than Picard, or that he's just a thug who solves problems with violence?

Those were the things that stuck out most for me--Bashir's nap was pretty funny, too. This was a fun episode.

Loved the boxing match:

"You hit me... Picard never hit me."

"I'm not Picard."

"Indeed not. You're much easier to provoke. How fortunate for me."



Also, another great 'Picard' line from Q:

"Still chasing your own tail? Picard and his lackeys would have solved all this techno-babble hours ago. No wonder you're not commanding a Starship."

 

[Athena28]

All I can say is that no warning prepared me for just how bad this episode was. It truly made me want to smash my DVD player into a million pieces and then...

"Move Along Home"

"Awful" doesn't even begin to describe this episode. It's bad. Really bad. There are a few redeeming qualities (unfortunately, the acting of the main cast isn't among them), but this is the kind of episode that loses viewers for shows. Permanently...

I disliked it at first, but future viewings left me OK about it. Same for Voyager's "Fear" ep. Hated it, initially. Then got into Michael Keaton's clown portrayal & warmed up to it.

 

[JayOwl]

All I can say is that no warning prepared me for just how bad this episode was. It truly made me want to smash my DVD player into a million pieces and then...

"Move Along Home"

"Awful" doesn't even begin to describe this episode. It's bad. Really bad. There are a few redeeming qualities (unfortunately, the acting of the main cast isn't among them), but this is the kind of episode that loses viewers for shows. Permanently.

It's got some clever ideas, particularly the concept that the Wadi aren't interested in Sisko's high-flown diplomacy, but in money. I read Matt Ridley's "The Rational Optimist" a while back, and I'm intrigued by his idea that trade, not ideology or warface, has been the big driver in human development. It'd been interesting seeing that idea applied to sci fi. The fact that they're interested in gambling--well, I couldn't be happier.

Nice moment with Bashir losing his dress uniform, and Sisko's displeasure. It's also fun to see something that's kind of routine for the Enterprise--first contact--is a huge deal for Sisko. At first.

But as executed, it's a real disappointment. It's totally obvious to the audience that Sisko, Kira, Bashir, and Dax are in some kind of "living chess game" long before they or Odo figures it out. So it's just kind of a slog instead of a riveting drama.

There were a lot of moments that made me cringe, some of which I guess is because of poor direction. In the first scene in the maze, Bashir and Kira and wildly over-acting, while Sisko and Dax are completely under-acting. And that final cave scene wasn't anyone's finest hour, that's for sure.

It was a mildly-interesting concept, but it needed some real tweaking and a solid B-story to make it any good. It's safe to say I won't be doubling down on "Move Along Home" anytime soon.

I think this one's a marmite episode. You love it, hate it.... or just feel indifferent- like me.

 

[Admiral Shran]

Allamaraine!

Indeed, a truly awful episode. I don't know which I would consider the worst of Season One though - this or The Passenger.

I do find this interesting though....

"Move Along Home"

It's got some clever ideas, particularly the concept that the Wadi aren't interested in Sisko's high-flown diplomacy, but in money. I read Matt Ridley's "The Rational Optimist" a while back, and I'm intrigued by his idea that trade, not ideology or warface, has been the big driver in human development. It'd been interesting seeing that idea applied to sci fi. The fact that they're interested in gambling--well, I couldn't be happier.

Never saw it from that angle before. I'm also a firm believer that free trade amongst people has been responsible for the bulk of human civilization. I guess that makes this episode a little more palatable for me. It's a shame that that aspect of the Wadi wasn't explored more, instead of their game fixation.

Besides that and Quark's grovelling, however, there isn't really much to commend it.

Well, anyway....

Thialo! Move along home.