ST: TNG Rewatch

[Qonundrum]

All of Buck Rogers was lightweight faff but damn if it's not a favorite of mine.

Yeah, it does have a charm...

And agreed, Coming of Age was a nice surprise.

The clarity of the HD remaster really highlights the fake painted hallway at the training center though. I was always aware of it, but now it's glaring.

It's both a blessing and curse for HD releases - all the little visual issues become more prominent. It's part of the fun and a new way to watch the episodes. For the time, it often worked great or at least sufficient to serve the scenes.

No doubt they were like "crap Denise is leaving, let's build this guy up."

Great point. The second half of season 1 definitely starts fighting to move forward, but by then Denise must've made up her mind.

Fun article: https://www.ign.com/articles/denise...ration-wasnt-going-to-be-the-token-hot-blonde

Also noticed a lot of Worf overdubbing during the shots of Armus's energy read outs. Actually, so far this season, there's a lot of ADR work that tends to be obvious. Not as obvious as Data's stunt double though, who always has thicker, less slicked hair.

LOL, good point. The double did seem more prominent this time around when rewatching.

The one big regret I have about Picard season 3 was that they went with the Borg yet again instead of picking up this forgotten thread. With all of the callbacks and nostalgia littering that season, this would have made it really worthwhile and a hell of a surprise for longtime viewers.

Ditto. It's such a missed opportunity and an easy one that would work for longtime fans and casuals alike. Even having the Founders team up with the crayfish things would have been a hook and it's not like casuals or newbies would have known about the Founders/Dominion backdrop at all either... All we got was another big bad ship that looked like its design was inspired by the crayfish species, and... the Borg (again). At least it's easier to buy into the big bad ship now as opposed to NEM's contrivances with Shinzon that just don't add up, but the Borg were not needed for this and already had a different route taken in the previous two seasons, so why use them again? (A desire to return them back to basics? They were done well enough for it to work despite it all so the gamble paid off.) Side note aside, the quick switchover to the Borg after dispatching Vadic definitely felt abrupt. They were done well (I'm also forgetting about the 1701-MilleniumFalcon attack scene in episode ten as it looks silly and so unlike the big-D), but the "Conspiracy" critters just makes more sense all around and would have allowed a more satisfying closure. Still, all in all, PIC/3 still did a lot with callbacks and all, even elevating the misfired 90s foilms and retroactively giving them weight (not unlike TNG turning the Yar/Data fling into something better in season 2 onward!)

There's seemingly a balance between appealing to x million longtime fans for which a sequel directly related to a lead character is based, and bringing in new fans... which made for an interesting choice in the 90s TNG movies as the fanbase was already ~10 million, but being "big screen" they were also going to try to go for the gold medal and somehow bring in new people. But three decades on, and if PIC/3 could play with so many old elements then the 90s flicks did not need to try to appeal to casual popcorn eaters that didn't care about anything other than whiz-bang effects (which are great, but the underlying story easily makes them even better as a spectacle.)

Yeah that's a bit of a TOS-ism. The Comedy Music. When they in effect redid this scene in First Contact, it was much more effective. Lilly reacts with shock and Worf, who's had this dance before, simply blurts out "I am a Klingon." Which is a gem of a scene. With no underscore.

Definitely agreed. STFC has its issues, but others are no less classic. The reaction by Ruby definitely felt more natural, and surprisingly not clunky.

Leon Rippy. He steals every scene. He was genuinely funny. He and Spiner played off each other really well.

Thanks for the namedrop!

I enjoyed how he read the Romulans - but no civilians on the bridge. Picard gives no quarter.


He was great in everything. Even the worst TV shows.

Mark Alaimo couldn't hide in a crowded room, he's so distinctive. Anthony James is also a solid choice, but they are both confined to their seats in crap makeup. What a waste to never use them in these roles again.

Seconded.

For that, absolutely. I'm glad you enjoy them. Thank you!

Thanks!

 

[AntonyF]

Quick comment as I run out: I agree about the guest actors in Code of Honor. As poorly conceived as that episode was, they really were incredibly good. I would have appreciated more time getting to know Yareena instead of spending time on Troi making Yar admit her sexual feelings. Amazing cast wasted on subpar material.

I think this is a good take on it. I've often said the actors are really good. They are also not inherently shown as negative. They are clearly clever, they can make vaccines that the Federation can't. They're ritualistic, but then many races are and many humans are.

The sexual attraction thing was awful and I noticed it was a theme at various points in season one. To Picard she was sexualised "oh if you weren't a captain..." and there was another episode where they make direct reference to her attraction to someone. And of course her screwing Data too.

 

[Qonundrum]

So okay, then, you asked for it season 2.

The Child

Thanks to the Writer's Strike of 1988, we had to suffer through a long summer break. And the production had to use a script from the aborted Phase 2 series, but had enough lead time after the strike was settled to punch it up into a Next Generation episode to be more than satisfied with.

To think what it might have been otherwise. And yet, at the time, not knowing of the strike, the episode still had a daring feel and going where none had gone before and diving into the themes, even in tangents and minutiae that felt as compelling as they were varied. Marina steals the show as well...

Firstly, we get a brand new shot of the Enterprise, a majestic opening score by Dennis McCarthy, a sweet shot of a shuttle leaving the bay, and an elaborate crane shot of the bridge - all to say "welcome back, sorry you had to wait so long." In that shot we immediately see some changes. Worf is in Command Gold, his baldric is updated as well as his makeup (which will continue to evolve over the life of the character). Riker has a beard and it makes a world of difference. I wish my beards looked half as good. Then we see Wes has a spiffy new Acting Ensign uniform.

Great points, all! Loved the opening, loved the music, loved the Ten Forward outside-in shot - which was definitely ambitious and sadly this type of shooting angle would never really be used again... not that you'd want to wear it out, but they could have done it a couple times more in the show's 5 remaining years...

Wesley finally got rid of the Triskeleon-inspired design and had something more suited.

Worf was okay when first starting, but also feels "just right" as Security Chief. He seemingly had half those duties to begin with. Plus, the new Baldric and ditching the 1960s original was a huge step in the right direction. Fantastic design.

Then, in the next scene, Riker joins Picard and Geordi in the ready room (we get two Riker Maneuvers in this scene - one mount and one dismount) and we're told Geordi is now Chief Engineer. All of these are great updates. However, they try to give Picard a new "catchword" which doesn't stick: "Grand." They push it out twice and it's obviously meant to be a thing. It doesn't work and will vanish. However, I adopted it for my own use and use it sarcastically to this day.

It's better than "merde", which he'd used once if not twice...

The show finally decided that they really needed a static Chief Engineer and not the merry-go-round of characters that didn't work at all. Geordi already having been in Engineering a few times, it just felt like a natural progression.

Pause to say, I really like the lighting in this episode. It looks and feels like a different season. There are some shadows and it just feels a little less bright.

The altered lighting and, indeed, film stock as everything feels a tad on the "cooler" side (easily adjusted in post-production to match the warmer film of seasons 1 and 3-7 but not necessary as that would unintentionally alter story tone as well, season 2 did have that theme of space being a cold place so the cooler tone is deliberate for likely many reasons, if I were to guess.)

One more update that works quite well is Deanna's new look. A much more flattering hair style and uniform. She looks younger and less matronly.

Definitely. I did miss the read bead hairstrap piece as that glowed with color and detail on blu-ray thanks to the film restoration and blu-ray's better bandwidth, but it's all made up for. Even if she's now given even less uniformy-looking uniforms. As ship's counselor, there's an easy in-universe reason for this, but then why wouldn't a senior command person regardless of position not wear the standard uniform while on duty?

Two new characters join the cast, both "special" in each episode credits rather than the main titles. Whoopi Goldberg will successfully integrate as Guinan, in the never before seen, but I assume was always there, Ten Forward. The second would prove to be a temporary and less successful fit, Diana Muldaur as Dr. Pulaski. Already knowing how she'll develop, her intro is easier to take here than it was in 1988. I know she'll warm up to Data and made a solid addition, but we have to get there first. Unfortunately she comes off cold and abrasive, kicking the proverbial puppy that is Data. Not a great start, but that's what we've got.

Could Pulaski's personal arc with Data have worked otherwise? Or look worse, if she was warm and charming with the biological beings and just cold and stoic to the manufactured android? She does start as an antihero of sorts, if nothing else.

Seymour Cassell is oddly stilted as Lt. Commander Hester Dealt in a thankless role. His manner is weirdly casual, which I remember my mom hating but I thought was interesting. When he beams out at the end, his freaky grin as he poses is unintentionally funny.

The real meat of the episode is Troi's alien pregnancy. A lot of great subtext in Frakes' performance when they're told in the briefing. He's immediately brusque, obviously jealous. The moment he's told how it happened, his face softens. Frakes is on point here. The discussion about what to do with the pregnancy borders on cruel even though it's practical and Troi shuts it down. Props to Picard for immediately supporting her decision.

^^this. It's a scene that shows much. Frakes' acting ability (as well as directorial as we'd later see) is as nuanced as ever.

Everything in this episode works pretty well but pushing it over the top is the cast. Everyone is freaking great. They make magic out of this desperation script, which is actually pretty well updated by Maurice Hurley. Funny how I don't really miss Beverly even though I have yet to warm to Pulaski.

Kudos to Hurley for spinning silk out of the decade-old script written back when Studio 54 was "a thing".

Wesley's subplot about staying on board is well handled on the side and gives Whoopi a chance to have a bit of an introduction. She helps humanize the cast a bit more, her presence is welcome. The resolution to the Wesley plot is satisfying and amusing.

It's almost by-the-numbers and I was expecting Troi to have a bigger hand in his continued development. But it is a subversion of expectation.

I've held off on the Deanna/Ian plot long enough. My only complaint is that it feels a little crushed in all of the introductions and changes. I wish it had a little more room to breathe. We spend a lot of time with the sinister build up of Ian and not enough of his more pleasant discovery side for my taste. I wanted to see more of Troi as a mom. I did like the birth scene and Riker watching, showing both joy and, I feel, regret that he's not at her side as the father. But he does well as a friend and their interaction is charming and sweet.

I'm gonna flat out say it: Marina is magnificent in this episode. She plays both ends of her dilemma perfectly. She's a protective mother but also a Starfleet officer and the dread on her face as Picard and Pulaski visit before the first growth reveal is well done. That whole scene is spot on. Picard's reaction is priceless and when Ian speaks, and the chill Pulaski feels is evident.

But the real props go back to Marina. When Ian says he has to leave, the horror and panic she feels is gut wrenching. I was heartbroken for her. Even though it was, what, a couple of days? She birthed this child and began raising him. Her reaction and later sadness were honest and true.

^^this!

Never again would a season premiere be a Troi Episode, so they did wonders with this one, especially considering what the staff had to deal with.

Maybe I'm just in a good mood, but this is a strong start to the season, even with some points feeling a little abbreviated in all the intros and changes.

4/5

I remember it's worthy of much praise. Am looking forward to my upcoming rewatch. What I have seen of season 2 so far in rewatch has been spectacular...

 

[CoveTom]

Yeah, the name is a tad TOSesque (and limiting to 8- or 16-bits is underwhelming as 32-bit processing and higher existed back then), but if the goal was to get kids interested in STEM, then this would be a good onboarding point.

Even today, though, many people's exposure to binary is dealing with 8 bit values. When I teach my students binary math, we work with 8 bits at a time. This is largely because of IP addresses being broken into four octets of 8 bits each. (Yes, IPv6 is different, but we still can't get around to actually making IPv6 the standard.)

 

[Qonundrum]

Even today, though, many people's exposure to binary is dealing with 8 bit values. When I teach my students binary math, we work with 8 bits at a time. This is largely because of IP addresses being broken into four octets of 8 bits each. (Yes, IPv6 is different, but we still can't get around to actually making IPv6 the standard.)

Great point and reminder on TCP/IP (IP4) addressing as an example of how working with 8 bits is still just as relevant today. (Linear thinking to processing power and data bus paths was my hyperfocus on that...)

 

[suarezguy]

"Conspiracy" definitely feels very experimental, at least pretty intentionally out-of-place and trying to see how fans would react to something really different ... and the reactions generally seem to have been not hate it but also not better than usual, at least a few more people disliking it or just not wanting to go much in that direction.

So many episodes in S1 set themselves up for a good ending that never comes, but The Neutral Zone has to be top of the pack for that. It all seems to be leading up to the payoff of Picard et al being humbled by Ralph (who they've spent all episode shitting on and calling irredeemable) coming onto the bridge and using his smarmy 80s businessman cunning to deal with the Romulans while the 24th century crew are helpless, and the episode follows that thread all the way to the finale, but then Picard just shuts him down and handles it all himself so the episode fizzles into nothing

I think the show is more often than it's credited for willing to make guest star equally as right as disagreeing main character but no, not more right/not better, and even guest characters being equally right was mostly later. Both "Conspiracy" and "The Neutral Zone" were intentionally open-ended and that's fine, I think worked pretty well, though we didn't get direct continuations the Borg definitely work as spiritual similar opponents/threats though the show never got as serialized as some of the writers had wanted it to get actually really quickly (so with any/every non-serialized show the massive terrible dangerous threat does have to be deflated/defeated pretty quickly but can still work as still being/having been big deal).

 

[Mojochi]

Could Pulaski's personal arc with Data have worked otherwise? Or look worse, if she was warm and charming with the biological beings and just cold and stoic to the manufactured android? She does start as an antihero of sorts, if nothing else.

I do believe there could've been a way to introduce her as "the new character, who doesn't get Data & needed to grow to understand him", without it giving such a distasteful 1st impression. The writing was too obtuse about it, up front, & her performance seemed almost instructed to be deliberately adversarial. It felt like Muldaur was intentionally directed to go in and treat Data like McCoy treated Spock, therein infusing the much needed interpersonal conflict among the crew, for dramatic purposes.

However, Data was never going to be Spock, who'd always given as good as he got & even invited it some. So, she just came off as carelessly kicking our beloved, oblivious, & socially defenseless android puppy, to the point where his mates had to intervene & defend him. She could've even delivered the same lines in a different tone & it mightn't have felt nearly as much that way.

It didn't help that she consistently rubbed Picard the wrong way too, & although he had just as much stake in why that was the case, because he just seemed to inexplicably not like her, it did unfortunately pit her immediately against the two most well received characters on the show, up to that point.

That's just not going to work out, no matter how many eggs she eats with Riker, or tea parties she has with Worf. It was poor writing choices that did her in, & the actress being directed to go hard at them. She never bounced back, like I believe they'd wanted her to. They could've opted out of being so conflictual about her not getting Data. She is not McCoy & Data is not the transporters, for her to have Luddite tendencies towards.

And they could've let up on how badly Picard felt about her. It didn't even really make much sense. What, she's strong willed? You have a Klingon on your bridge, dude, & a 1st officer named WILL, who you intentionally picked because he is willful. lol. I like Pulaski, maybe more than Crusher, but they did her dirty, out the gate... and TBH I liked Selar more than either of them

Frakes' acting ability (as well as directorial as we'd later see) is as nuanced as ever.

My biggest perspective change about TNG, over the years, has been to separate my feelings about Riker, who I have many issues with, as a character, with my feelings about Frakes' performance of him, which takes a character that I personally object to a lot, BUT I do now find one of the most interesting, almost solely because of the actor & how over time, the writers (who often do this a lot with longtime actors) began to write TO his portrayal, instead of the character bio.

In hindsight, that actor is making clear & decisive performance choices, in his portrayal, that are bold, gutsy, and deliberate, in that they do not always particularly depict Riker in the pristine, flattering light that his character was conceived as. His performance choices, sometimes on their own, & in the subtlest of moments, almost redefined the character, from its concept, into something nearly polar opposite, by the end, while still keeping to the basic tenets of his archetypal role, & also keeping him well rounded enough to fit in well socially.

A lot of deserved credit is directed towards Stewart & Spiner for the fleshing out of their 2 iconic characters. However, Frakes' equally interesting work goes largely unnoticed, because it isn't as dominant, narratively. He's in the periphery, really coming up with an unexpected take on his guy, a ballsy one really, that IMHO most show runners wouldn't even give him the latitude to pursue, let alone encourage, & it opens the door for some of the show's best drama, where I'm not even sure if I approve of Riker as a person consistently anymore. That takes guts. He, maybe more than anyone on the show, is going his own way, with his character, of the "1st officer" guy. It's the right way to do what they artificially tried to introduce with Pulaski, and later did, more successfully, with Ro Laren.

Much criticism was made of TNG's characters being "too perfect" & not conflicted enough, back in those days, leading to DS9 being utterly loaded with ones that are, but to those critics I always say, you need to really look at later Riker. THAT guy is not perfect, and he only became that way, because over years, Frakes deliberately & craftily steering him that way, in total opposition to what he was probably originally meant to do with him.

 

[Ssosmcin]

Okay, holidays are over so let's get back to it (Happy New Year everyone!)

Where Silence Has Lease

Written by Jack B. Sowards, one of the credited writers of Star Trek II. Well, this should be great then, right?!!

Oh dear.

We start with a pre-credits/teaser/cold open that GNDN. It starts with Picard pacing nervously as he’s worried about Worf and Riker doing lord knows what. We then see them fighting some warrior aliens to the death and it turns out to be Worf’s holodeck training program. Seriously. Picard was worried about this. As if there aren’t safety protocols. Come on. And Worf can’t hold his shit when he’s in “fight mode.” And then this sequence isn’t brought up again. There’s only the most vague tie in when Worf can’t hold his shit later, but it’s pointless otherwise. In fact, as I recall, season 2 has a number of non-sequitur scenes littered about.

Okay so we get to the story and the ship runs into a strange phenomenon, one that Riker specifically and pointedly asks Data to see if any starship has run into anything at all even remotely similar. I mean, even a little bit. Data says “nope.”

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This pissed me off in 1988 and does in 2026 as well. Considering the deliberate phrasing of Riker's request, the look of the phenomenon, and Wesley's terminology, with even Worf mentioning a Klingon legend of a giant space creature devouring whole systems, I was sure they'd at least reference "The Immunity Syndrome," even if it wasn't the same thing. Why go through all of those gymnastics otherwise????

Instead we get some really slow and frankly dull test of patience of the characters and the audience. Pulaski gets to kick Data in the proverbial balls again but apologized for it both times.

We see the USS Yamato before we see her again a few episodes from now. And Worf loses his shit there.

Weird things happen to get everyone on edge and then we see the godawful special effect of Nagilum (in honor of the first actor they thought of for the role Richard Mulligan). He sees Pulaski and goes "hey you're different" as if Deanna wasn't right there the whole time. And speaking of being there the whole time, luckily for Wes, the acting ensign had to go to the head or something because some dude named Haskell takes over just to be horribly killed by Nagilum because he wants to know what death is. And Haskell is played rather snottily as he impatiently tells Picard "we can get out" more than once. At least make him likeable. Seriously, why not just have Haskell there the entire episode and leave Wes out of it this week? And once he's dead and right after Picard's rebuttal, he's never mentioned again. Even Kirk would agonize over "his father helped me get into the academy" or some such.

Then Picard decides to blow up the ship rather than submit for Nagilum's research which will slowly cost the lives of half the crew (leading to a funny line from Pulaski about her timing in joining the crew). Picard isn't fooled by attempts to talk him out of it by illusions of Troi and Data (neither was I) and waits until the last 5 seconds to abort (leading to another fun moment of Riker "concurring wholeheartedly"). Nagilum goes "haha I got what I need" and Picard responds with empty posturing and we wonder WTF this was all for.

Easily the worst episode in the last dozen.

1/5

 

[Qonundrum]

Okay, holidays are over so let's get back to it (Happy New Year everyone!)

Where Silence Has Lease

Happy New Year to you as well!

Glad to see these still coming out!

Written by Jack B. Sowards, one of the credited writers of Star Trek II. Well, this should be great then, right?!!

Oh dear.

We start with a pre-credits/teaser/cold open that GNDN. It starts with Picard pacing nervously as he’s worried about Worf and Riker doing lord knows what. We then see them fighting some warrior aliens to the death and it turns out to be Worf’s holodeck training program. Seriously. Picard was worried about this. As if there aren’t safety protocols. Come on. And Worf can’t hold his shit when he’s in “fight mode.” And then this sequence isn’t brought up again. There’s only the most vague tie in when Worf can’t hold his shit later, but it’s pointless otherwise. In fact, as I recall, season 2 has a number of non-sequitur scenes littered about.

It is definitely an empty segue, with melodrama foisted via Picard's pacing - with the actual fight being anticlimactic as a result. Worf held his own before earlier in season 1, so Riker needing him to calm down - especially for a lower setting to accommodate weak humie Riker, as I recall - is a little misplaced. Yet at the same time, it is exploring what the crewmembers not named Jean-Luc do with their personal times and in places other than Ten-Forward drinking virtual booze, back when the show wasn't sure if replicators would reproduce the actual booze or the delicious effects-free magical booze as later episodes would point out. But I always liked the scene overall, it expanded the characters without making it part of the story that follows. But it is rough around the edges, something season 2 still has some issues with at times...

Okay so we get to the story and the ship runs into a strange phenomenon, one that Riker specifically and pointedly asks Data to see if any starship has run into anything at all even remotely similar. I mean, even a little bit. Data says “nope.”

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This pissed me off in 1988 and does in 2026 as well. Considering the deliberate phrasing of Riker's request, the look of the phenomenon, and Wesley's terminology, with even Worf mentioning a Klingon legend of a giant space creature devouring whole systems, I was sure they'd at least reference "The Immunity Syndrome," even if it wasn't the same thing. Why go through all of those gymnastics otherwise????

It bugged me more in 1988, but still does. There are many ways to say it's not the same type of anomaly, which didn't drain the ship's energy when they entered it either. But as a lot of viewers were likely TOS-fanatics, the writer felt like there was no other way... which backfired since a lot of TOS fans have been quick and right to point out that there is something similar to it on the surface.

"The Immunity Syndrome" had popped in my mind on first viewing and ever since and, considering "The Naked Now" also having people looking up Starfleet logs to find any recurring similarities (amazing how Riker didn't belch out the connection as he had in that season one classic), a log search would have revealed a vague similarity with "hole with glowing edges in the middle of space". Heavyhanded and sledgehammery the whiplash-inducing scene sadly is, the heart is arguably in its right place as the show was being compared to TOS at the time and TNG was trying to distance itself from comparisons.

Instead we get some really slow and frankly dull test of patience of the characters and the audience. Pulaski gets to kick Data in the proverbial balls again but apologized for it both times.

The scene is admittedly forced. Pulaski works with computer thingies all the time and Data's only difference is that it has legs, arms, things only Yar was able to visually confirm, and an ego since Data felt need to correct pronunciation most eloquently to her, which would be Pulaski's first clue that this robot may indeed have a vague sort of emotional subsystem and could indeed be a sentient life form. Or it's very good programming. Or hokey scripting.

We see the USS Yamato before we see her again a few episodes from now. And Worf loses his shit there.

And with a different registry number.

Weird things happen to get everyone on edge

Which is where the brownie points come in. The episode is steeped in suspense and mystery at this point. With no deep plot underneath, rewatches quickly get stale as it's all in real time, not elapsed, and padding out the time evocatively more than intellectually. But, in that moment, it did seem cool - just wonder how Nagilum could quickly figure out and recreate the ship's technologies, unless it was mind controlling and applying projections for the crew (which is hinted at later in the story.)

and then we see the godawful special effect of Nagilum (in honor of the first actor they thought of for the role Richard Mulligan). He sees Pulaski and goes "hey you're different" as if Deanna wasn't right there the whole time. And speaking of being there the whole time, luckily for Wes, the acting ensign had to go to the head or something because some dude named Haskell takes over just to be horribly killed by Nagilum because he wants to know what death is. And Haskell is played rather snottily as he impatiently tells Picard "we can get out" more than once. At least make him likeable. Seriously, why not just have Haskell there the entire episode and leave Wes out of it this week? And once he's dead and right after Picard's rebuttal, he's never mentioned again. Even Kirk would agonize over "his father helped me get into the academy" or some such.

Well said, on all counts.

Wes should not have been in it. The abrupt departure and return, wordless on top of everything else, is definitely not good scripting.

It's possible Pulaski was given the focus to reduce the overt sexual nature of the scenes and having the script focus on the lab experimentation where up to half the crew would be murdered. Which even I can't believe given stories like "Justice" or "Manhunt", and others, where sexuality is camped up for laughs or centered for massage oil being slathered. One thing TNG did forget was Troi's abilities and how she would either not be in episodes where she would be useful, or she'd be forgotten about in one form or another. Which happened too often, but on the flip side she would sometimes be given great material or be the reason why the story could be resolved (e.g. "Encounter at Farpoint", "Ensigns of Command" in explaining communicating with other species to Picard in a great scene, "Face of the Enemy" where Troi rises above some plot conveniences as well, etc.)

Then Picard decides to blow up the ship rather than submit for Nagilum's research which will slowly cost the lives of half the crew (leading to a funny line from Pulaski about her timing in joining the crew). Picard isn't fooled by attempts to talk him out of it by illusions of Troi and Data (neither was I) and waits until the last 5 seconds to abort (leading to another fun moment of Riker "concurring wholeheartedly"). Nagilum goes "haha I got what I need" and Picard responds with empty posturing and we wonder WTF this was all for.

Emotional tugging aside, there is little to the story and it does have more than a share of plotting nitpicks (which is amazing given what little plot there technically is). But, dang, the episode is steeped in the visceral, as well as showcasing off-hours thrills the crew do as a means of fleshing them out, it's hard to dislike it despite its quibbles.

Easily the worst episode in the last dozen.

1/5

A complex score for me, but your points are absolutely well-reasoned.

Angel One was surely weaker and more cliched as a story? Certainly absent with the sort of foreboding fear the Yamato exploration scenes had (or any other emotion, it was so by-the-numbers and corny).

We'll Always Have Paris was also a slog and Michelle Phillips was used better in that episode of "Herman's Head" from 1991, palindromic numbers are cool... But this TNG episode, trying to outdo "The Alternate Factor" from TOS by suggesting all of causality was going to blink out of existence, also didn't quite land. It's better than TAF, but I can't place it above WSHL either, even if WAHP shows Picard fencing and that's a big plus-one. Then again, seeing other than the captain have lives outside of the bridge is also nice and it was a cool experiment of sorts that WSHL doesn't integrate or make incidental that fight with the rest of the story. It is just a scene, a brief "slice" if you will, of character moments during off time, which might be brought back later with a greater purpose (but not always, the guessing of if such scenes are there "just because" or not is also the thing).

When the Bough Breaks also underplayed its hand - why only kidnap 7 or 8 kids and not all of them? The story either hinted at or confirmed both cases depending on scene. Not a bad story despite that, though.

While other latter-half season one episodes had better plotlines, the lack of visceral feel and tension did drive some of them down in turn.

But the plot's the thing and "Lease" is easily the weakest in that regard, one of the weakest in TNG overall, either because it needs the visceral feel to compensate, or because its forgetting about Troi and Wesley are too distracting (especially for Wesley, who just vanishes to go use Picard's ready room corner bathroom to take an insulin shot or whatever all of a sudden.) But for the feel of suspense, et all, it overcomes some of it. It's a novelty, but I'm glad TNG did better in later episodes this season!

 

[suarezguy]

I liked a lot both the drama of the self-destruct/countdown and Picard's discussion with fake-Troi and Data though I didn't think fake-Troi actually seemed out of character, Picard, even agreeing with him more, seemed a little out of character for being offput by, not expecting to have any disagreement expressed, it could have been worked even better to have Troi a little more out-of-character and/or Picard more gradually coming to think she wasn't real.

I used to thihnk the initial exploration before meeting Nagilum was fine but a bit too long, now I think the issue is not exactly that but the other side, that the time from when we do meet Nagilum is good but a bit too brief.

I think a lot of people like the space is/should be dangerous and weird (and weirdly-dangerous) emphasis of the first 2 Seasons, particularly Season 2, and yet a lot of people also seem to think "Where Silence Has Lease" and "Time Squared" were just too weird and unexplained/underexplained (I like them but with them being outliers).

 

[Ssosmcin]

Happy New Year to you as well!

Glad to see these still coming out!

You're my audience

It is definitely an empty segue, with melodrama foisted via Picard's pacing - with the actual fight being anticlimactic as a result. Worf held his own before earlier in season 1, so Riker needing him to calm down - especially for a lower setting to accommodate weak humie Riker, as I recall - is a little misplaced. Yet at the same time, it is exploring what the crewmembers not named Jean-Luc do with their personal times and in places other than Ten-Forward drinking virtual booze, back when the show wasn't sure if replicators would reproduce the actual booze or the delicious effects-free magical booze as later episodes would point out. But I always liked the scene overall, it expanded the characters without making it part of the story that follows. But it is rough around the edges, something season 2 still has some issues with at times...

The thing is, it's not a bad scene. As a character nuance scene, it's fine. As a tantalizing grabber for the episode to follow, it fails miserably. The second season has a few odd bits like this here and there.

It bugged me more in 1988, but still does. There are many ways to say it's not the same type of anomaly, which didn't drain the ship's energy when they entered it either. But as a lot of viewers were likely TOS-fanatics, the writer felt like there was no other way... which backfired since a lot of TOS fans have been quick and right to point out that there is something similar to it on the surface.

"The Immunity Syndrome" had popped in my mind on first viewing and ever since and, considering "The Naked Now" also having people looking up Starfleet logs to find any recurring similarities (amazing how Riker didn't belch out the connection as he had in that season one classic), a log search would have revealed a vague similarity with "hole with glowing edges in the middle of space". Heavyhanded and sledgehammery the whiplash-inducing scene sadly is, the heart is arguably in its right place as the show was being compared to TOS at the time and TNG was trying to distance itself from comparisons.

Yup at least say "didn't Jim Kirk's Enterprise encounter something similar at first glance?" They had plenty of time to do this and they were seemingly leading up to it. This wasn't just a similar idea, they literally aped it.

And with a different registry number.

And no mention of the Captain being an old friend of Picard.

Which is where the brownie points come in. The episode is steeped in suspense and mystery at this point. With no deep plot underneath, rewatches quickly get stale as it's all in real time, not elapsed, and padding out the time evocatively more than intellectually. But, in that moment, it did seem cool - just wonder how Nagilum could quickly figure out and recreate the ship's technologies, unless it was mind controlling and applying projections for the crew (which is hinted at later in the story.)

Which probably worked better then, before I knew it was all be just pissed away. So I agree that the atmosphere was effective.

Wes should not have been in it. The abrupt departure and return, wordless on top of everything else, is definitely not good scripting.

It would have been fine it it wasn't so obvious. Have Wes called away at the very least. Haskell was the "Ensign Ricky" of Kirk's landing party days.

It's possible Pulaski was given the focus to reduce the overt sexual nature of the scenes and having the script focus on the lab experimentation where up to half the crew would be murdered. Which even I can't believe given stories like "Justice" or "Manhunt", and others, where sexuality is camped up for laughs or centered for massage oil being slathered.

Boy would I love to feel generous enough to give them that sorta credit. You're a better human than I am, my friend.

Angel One was surely weaker and more cliched as a story?

We'll Always Have Paris was also a slog

When the Bough Breaks also underplayed its hand

While other latter-half season one episodes had better plotlines, the lack of visceral feel and tension did drive some of them down in turn.

Oh I won't spend much time defending those, but this one just feels like a "fill 45 minutes of airtime" script to me. And from a production of this caliber, that's the greatest sin. But, fear not, the hard times are far from over...

 

[Ssosmcin]

I think a lot of people like the space is/should be dangerous and weird (and weirdly-dangerous) emphasis of the first 2 Seasons, particularly Season 2, and yet a lot of people also seem to think "Where Silence Has Lease" and "Time Squared" were just too weird and unexplained/underexplained (I like them but with them being outliers).

I agree here, I did love the danger of the first two seasons, before they settled into the very comfy "Federation Colonies" area they tooled around in for most of the series.

Elementary, Dear Data

So, can I tell you how much I rolled my eyes at this episode in 1988? No? Okay well, I did.

I liked it a lot more today. I love the idea of an episode focusing on Geordi and Data's friendship (sounds like Levar has a cold in this episode). Bringing back Data's Sherlock Holmes hobby was inspired and a very good use of the Holodeck - which everyone is still totally gobsmacked by (take that again prequels!). The cinematography is very much improved over the first season and the set design is a visual feast. The music is also very jaunty and upbeat.

My only issue with Geordi here is that when Data is spoiling the endings, he doesn't freeze the program and simply talk to him - he throws a hissy and storms out like someone guessed what his Christmas present was before he could unwrap it. Okay, yes, we need to get Pulaski there to overhear and give her the chance to go full frontal jewels-smashing on Data again to propel this plot, but it makes Geordi look like a petulant child instead of the patient friend he's been until that exact moment.

Getting Pulaski involved was fun but she's soooo insufferable at this point. "Fraud!" I get that she could very well have a point, but she's really just coming across as a bitch here. Again. Geordi, like the solid wingman he is, defends Data and accepts her challenge. My only issue with this scene is Moriarty notices the arch before Geordi changes the program. He shouldn't know anything is different until after.

Once the change kicks in, the episode is great but it feels a little rushed as we get to the climax. This huge threat is defused by Picard making a speech. Okay yeah, Kirk did that on a regular, but Bill Shatner could charm me out of my life savings (if I had any). Still Daniel Davis (so wonderful in The Nanny) is just a complete joy to watch. The popularity of this character is well deserved based on this performance alone.

Speaking of performances, I love how Data and Geordi are such bad actors when they play their roles. Data overacts shamelessly and Geordi is simply an amateur. Beautifully done by both Spiner and Burton. Pulaski crammed with crumpets was also a fun touch.

Worf in a 19th century suit with just his big ol' head poking out? Yes please. Riker is greatly amused in that scene, giving Worf a sarcastic compliment that Worf takes in earnest. Watch Frakes' face when Picard "fwaps" his top hat. A gem of a scene.

Did I mention, I love these people? And that is the true pleasure here. How much they've grown together and how they hang out. And Geordi, who carelessly caused this mess, apologizes and Picard is totally understanding. He reinforces that forgiveness with understated encouragement and friendship in the lovely closing scene.

This feels off-format for this stage of the series but eventually, it will be part of said format. It's not the departure today that it was then but it's conversely better now than it was then.

Excellent all around. I'm probably being too generous but The Outrageous Okana is next, so I'm just gonna reward the episode for great joy I got spending 45 minutes watching this and reflect it in my score.

4/5

Bonus: I am really surprised at how many episodes so far that I've changed my feelings on. Some that I really didn't like are now hitting me totally differently. That's 38 intervening years for ya....

 

[Ssosmcin]

The Outrageous Okana

Okay, I'm not gonna get too deep into this one because it's pretty much exactly as I remembered it.

Nothing is less funny than a mostly serious TV show trying to be funny. Like making an effort to convince me that what I'm seeing is funny. Star Trek's humor has usually been the most successful when it comes out of character interactions and reactions to things around them. And like most Trek casts, this group is great at that kind of comedy.

First, the title alone is telling me that Okana is the greatest thing since Harry Mudd. Well, to be honest, Okana isn't all that outrageous. He, and this entire episode, is right out of an unfilmed Buck Rogers script.

Billy Campbell is blandly charming. So white bread and colorless that you have no reason to dislike him, but you also have no reason to overly love him either. Riker is more fun and a cooler dude to pal around with. Okana tries too hard.

Which is this problem with this episode. It's tries too damned hard to convince me that he's a dashing and irresistible rogue (and jeebus, Troi states the obvious more than usual this week). Teri Hatcher and some actually prettier redhead sleep with him. He tells jokes that don't land but insists they're great. Guinan also drops groaners that she blames Data's lack of understanding on, but none of it is his fault. "You're a droid and I'm a 'noid." F'k off, that sucks.

Data IS funny when he's trying his stuff out with his jerky arms and stilted delivery. I'm cracking up at how badly he's doing it and nobody is even laughing at him. This is where TNG always misses the mark. Data will do something incredibly funny - FOR THE AUDIENCE - but the characters have to sit there like stern librarians to make a point. A point that fails because Data IS funny when he screws up the joke. Just like Data is funny when he pushes Beverly into the water in Generations. The audience lost their shit in that scene.

So Data's exploration fails and okay. I felt badly for him, but otherwise I got nothing out of it.

Okana's story is just a misunderstanding. He's a nice guy after all tying to bring Cosmic Romeo and Space Juliet together. Snore. Wesley is all over this guy like his own cool as f'k commanding officer with the beard isn't sitting right behind him every day.

And speaking of not noticing, Okana gets a stiffy when he hears Transporter Chief Lois Lane's voice over the intercom - "is that a WOMAN I hear?" and Deanna is sitting there on visual the whole time. She must feel like crap. First ignored by Nagilum and now Buck Rogers Okana.

So this episode is pretty much a failure at everything it's trying so damned hard to do. It's also the second episode in a row where Data is farting around on the holodeck instead of doing his job.

However, the real laughs are in the crew's reactions to the bullshit around them and the names of comedians that flash on the holodeck controls before Data enters. They're names of the production staff and the comic so horribly brought to life by Joe "F'n" Piscopo is actually named Ronald B. Moore, named after the FX artist (not to be confused with writer Ronald D. Moore who joins the series next season).

Never gonna revisit this one again.

1/5

 

[Qonundrum]

I agree here, I did love the danger of the first two seasons, before they settled into the very comfy "Federation Colonies" area they tooled around in for most of the series.

Elementary, Dear Data

So, can I tell you how much I rolled my eyes at this episode in 1988? No? Okay well, I did.

That's A-OK. For a contingent of stories back then, I was rolling mine more than a bowling ball during peak hours on a Saturday.

I liked it a lot more today. I love the idea of an episode focusing on Geordi and Data's friendship (sounds like Levar has a cold in this episode). Bringing back Data's Sherlock Holmes hobby was inspired and a very good use of the Holodeck - which everyone is still totally gobsmacked by (take that again prequels!). The cinematography is very much improved over the first season and the set design is a visual feast. The music is also very jaunty and upbeat.

The Geordi/Data undercurrents were often a saving grace, or at least easy to gravitate toward (even in season 1). If I recall correctly (which means I'm likely not ), Roddenberry set them up originally as "The Perceivers" as they were outsiders looking in. The idea was more or less scrapped, but remnants still showed up from time to time.

A shame that there was a 4-year gap between Holmes/Moriarty episodes, but it was great they worked it all out in the end...

The cinematography also feels more revolutionary than evolutionary at times. I also just remembered that they overbuilt and overspent the London set. It definitely added much in the way of authenticity, though!

Hehe, "prequels"!

My only issue with Geordi here is that when Data is spoiling the endings, he doesn't freeze the program and simply talk to him - he throws a hissy and storms out like someone guessed what his Christmas present was before he could unwrap it. Okay, yes, we need to get Pulaski there to overhear and give her the chance to go full frontal jewels-smashing on Data again to propel this plot, but it makes Geordi look like a petulant child instead of the patient friend he's been until that exact moment.

Great point! (Great analogy too! )

Getting Pulaski involved was fun but she's soooo insufferable at this point. "Fraud!" I get that she could very well have a point, but she's really just coming across as a bitch here. Again. Geordi, like the solid wingman he is, defends Data and accepts her challenge. My only issue with this scene is Moriarty notices the arch before Geordi changes the program. He shouldn't know anything is different until after.

This one's close on my rewatch list. I've now got a fresher memory of her earlier on and the writers were definitely going over the top to set her up as meanie. IMHO, the "Dah-tah" versus "Day-tah" scene and her on the bridge in "Where Silence Has Lease" definitely felt needlessly contrived and klutzy.

Great point on Moriarty as well, it's minute but there nonetheless. A not-dissimilar timing goof exists in "Ship in a Bottle".

Once the change kicks in, the episode is great but it feels a little rushed as we get to the climax. This huge threat is defused by Picard making a speech. Okay yeah, Kirk did that on a regular, but Bill Shatner could charm me out of my life savings (if I had any).

Both Shatner and Stewart and Shakespearean-trained, but still had different strengths. A Kirk reading of "the speech" might be interesting. Then again, I just remembered TOS's "The Ultimate Computer", which also introduces a sentient computer (which raises a sad point if one were to look into it too much, so stay tuned for my future replies if you keep doing these reviews, hehehe!).

Still Daniel Davis (so wonderful in The Nanny) is just a complete joy to watch. The popularity of this character is well deserved based on this performance alone.

^^this

Speaking of performances, I love how Data and Geordi are such bad actors when they play their roles. Data overacts shamelessly and Geordi is simply an amateur. Beautifully done by both Spiner and Burton. Pulaski crammed with crumpets was also a fun touch.

^^this

To my understanding, it takes talent for an actor to play a character playing another character in-universe.

I'd also fathom how the crumpets lines were double entendres worthy of "Are You Being Served?", a British comedy from the 1970s that was shown incessantly on PBS stations in the 1980s...

Worf in a 19th century suit with just his big ol' head poking out? Yes please. Riker is greatly amused in that scene, giving Worf a sarcastic compliment that Worf takes in earnest. Watch Frakes' face when Picard "fwaps" his top hat. A gem of a scene.

^^this

So many great little scenes in this.

Did I mention, I love these people? And that is the true pleasure here. How much they've grown together and how they hang out. And Geordi, who carelessly caused this mess, apologizes and Picard is totally understanding. He reinforces that forgiveness with understated encouragement and friendship in the lovely closing scene.

The characters are the thing for sure!

It's also a good thing that the crew never bothered to create any more characters that could be sentient independent of the device creating them with.

This feels off-format for this stage of the series but eventually, it will be part of said format. It's not the departure today that it was then but it's conversely better now than it was then.

Almost similar/parallel to how "Haven" introduced the type of character drama that would be refined and become a staple as well.

Excellent all around. I'm probably being too generous but The Outrageous Okana is next, so I'm just gonna reward the episode for great joy I got spending 45 minutes watching this and reflect it in my score.

4/5

Okona is next... oh my. I'm pretty sure that will not be an award winner...

Bonus: I am really surprised at how many episodes so far that I've changed my feelings on. Some that I really didn't like are now hitting me totally differently. That's 38 intervening years for ya....

Same here. Sometimes it's nostalgia. Sometimes it's picking up on a line or scene not noticed at the time for whatever reasons. I think "nostalgia" along with "tone/presentation" are why I rated "Where Silence Has Lease" so highly. The actual story still has the clunk, but the execution helped. Not unlike "Datalore".

 

[Qonundrum]

The Outrageous Okana

Okay, I'm not gonna get too deep into this one because it's pretty much exactly as I remembered it.

With the word "deep" in play, if one could tie this episode with a rope to a rock and bung it into a deep lake, that's what I'd do. This eppy is atrociously bad, to the point a lot of season 1's misfires somehow manage to come across better, in at least one aspect if not more.

Nothing is less funny than a mostly serious TV show trying to be funny. Like making an effort to convince me that what I'm seeing is funny. Star Trek's humor has usually been the most successful when it comes out of character interactions and reactions to things around them. And like most Trek casts, this group is great at that kind of comedy.

^^this

Humor can be subjective, but you nailed it big-time: This episode is trying way too hard, to be funny. Under the claim of teaching Data about humor as a story theme to make the attempt easier, no less. While there's no such thing as bad publicity, I have to wonder how many big-name comedians turned this episode down. Maybe they saw the holodeck set. Apparently Jerry Lewis was one approached, but conflicting filming schedules meant he had to choose the TV show "Wiseguy" instead. A show I'd never heard of until briefly looking up casting for the Comic in this Okona episode, for which I will return to later. I can't entirely imagine Lewis being the Comic in this with that material either. But "Wiseguy" was raking in 7 million more viewers on average.

First, the title alone is telling me that Okana is the greatest thing since Harry Mudd. Well, to be honest, Okana isn't all that outrageous. He, and this entire episode, is right out of an unfilmed Buck Rogers script.

ROTFL!!!

I'm also now wondering how Gil Gerard might have played Okona...

Billy Campbell is blandly charming. So white bread and colorless that you have no reason to dislike him, but you also have no reason to overly love him either. Riker is more fun and a cooler dude to pal around with. Okana tries too hard.

Which is this problem with this episode. It's tries too damned hard to convince me that he's a dashing and irresistible rogue (and jeebus, Troi states the obvious more than usual this week). Teri Hatcher and some actually prettier redhead sleep with him. He tells jokes that don't land but insists they're great. Guinan also drops groaners that she blames Data's lack of understanding on, but none of it is his fault. "You're a droid and I'm a 'noid." F'k off, that sucks.

That script that needed a lot more work. It didn't bode well when his first scene is with his backside facing the camera, which may or may not be him symbolically mooning the crew... and it also didn't help that a certain pizza mascot back in the day was called a Noid.

Data IS funny when he's trying his stuff out with his jerky arms and stilted delivery. I'm cracking up at how badly he's doing it and nobody is even laughing at him. This is where TNG always misses the mark. Data will do something incredibly funny - FOR THE AUDIENCE - but the characters have to sit there like stern librarians to make a point. A point that fails because Data IS funny when he screws up the joke. Just like Data is funny when he pushes Beverly into the water in Generations. The audience lost their shit in that scene.

Seconded. I recall laughing at him in that scene as well, unless I was laughing at how rotten the story was. The lines between all three conditions are thinner than the ice on the river in March.
But Geordi said to him in return that his pushing of her was not funny!

So Data's exploration fails and okay. I felt badly for him, but otherwise I got nothing out of it.

Pretty much. The Data subplot is a misfire, and the Okona delivery guy trope was worse.

Okana's story is just a misunderstanding. He's a nice guy after all tying to bring Cosmic Romeo and Space Juliet together. Snore.

^^this

"Romeo & Juliet" + "Three's Company" = "gold iron pyrite of an episode".

Wesley is all over this guy like his own cool as f'k commanding officer with the beard isn't sitting right behind him every day.

And speaking of not noticing, Okana gets a stiffy when he hears Transporter Chief Lois Lane's voice over the intercom - "is that a WOMAN I hear?" and Deanna is sitting there on visual the whole time. She must feel like crap. First ignored by Nagilum and now Buck Rogers Okana.

This time it's for the best as Troi probably missed out on all the diseases Okona was doling out. Great reference to Teri's role in that misplaced Superman series too.

So this episode is pretty much a failure at everything it's trying so damned hard to do. It's also the second episode in a row where Data is farting around on the holodeck instead of doing his job.

LOL, great points all.

I vaguely recall the ending where Guinan tells Data how being able to make people laugh isn't the only element of humanity. Oh no, I just remembered "The Ultimate Computer" from TOS again.

However, the real laughs are in the crew's reactions to the bullshit around them and the names of comedians that flash on the holodeck controls before Data enters. They're names of the production staff and the comic so horribly brought to life by Joe "F'n" Piscopo is actually named Ronald B. Moore, named after the FX artist (not to be confused with writer Ronald D. Moore who joins the series next season).

I suspect that Jerry Lewis wouldn't have been able to do much with the material, either.

Ronald B Moore is surely one of the best coincidences of all time. Even the worst material from "D" is light years better than the Okona misfire.

Never gonna revisit this one again.

1/5

I'm genuinely surprised you went down the rabbit hole this time! The whole escapade is simply awful, if not the nadir.

 

[Mojochi]

The cinematography also feels more revolutionary than evolutionary at times. I also just remembered that they overbuilt and overspent the London set. It definitely added much in the way of authenticity, though!

Really? Weird. I always just assumed the whole reason they did the episode was for what I call the "A Piece of The Action" factor, where existing sets & costumes make for an easy way to drum up an episode cost effectively