Unpopular Trek opinions game

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Wesley Crusher is a good character. They have a couple of episodes were they right him as being to smart but it's not as bad overall as people make it out to be. Wheaton is a decent actor plus the character has something of a character arc with a beginning,middle and end that not all the other characters get.

I agree. Then again, I'm a lot like Wesley Crusher myself.

Here's a twofer:

1. "The Man Trap" was the very worst first season TOS episode, and was in fact worse than most of the third season of TOS. Think about it: the Salt Vampire was clearly an intelligent, sentient being, perfectly capable of reasoning, and capable of communicating his/her need for salt, and of understanding that a starship could supply it in virtually unlimited amounts. And yet he/she was given an unspeakably and nightmarishly hideous appearance, and went against his/her best shot at survival by acting out the stereotype of a murdering monster who nearly has Kirk for diner. And to top it all off, the Enterprise crew kills him/her when there could have been a better way. How much that goes against everything Star Trek stands for doesn't become apparent until "The Devil in the Dark."

2. I liked Dr. Pulaski. I don't think she was better than Dr. Crusher, but neither do I think Dr. Crusher was better than Pulaski.

 

[fireproof78]

Think about it: the Salt Vampire was clearly an intelligent, sentient being, perfectly capable of reasoning, and capable of communicating his/her need for salt, and of understanding that a starship could supply it in virtually unlimited amounts.

I recently rewatched this episode and two things surprised me. One, the creature killed Dr. Crater, after Crater had just defended the creature at the conference with Kirk, where it was in attendance as McCoy. Two, I was surprised by the lack of stun used.

The creature went from survival to just monster of the week. It was very strange.

 

[BillJ]

The creature went from survival to just monster of the week. It was very strange.

It was always a monster. It was obviously still well fed when the Enterprise landing party first arrives, yet kills Darnell anyway. It killed Crater, because he was the only one that could identify it outside its normal form, and they were planning to use drugs to make him identify it.

It was always a killer, the episode is pretty clear on this point. Even when facing potential death, it sought to kill to eat, abandoning every other avenue.

 

[fireproof78]

It was always a monster. It was obviously still well fed when the Enterprise landing party first arrives, yet kills Darnell anyway. It killed Crater, because he was the only one that could identify it outside its normal form, and they were planning to use drugs to make him identify it.

It was always a killer, the episode is pretty clear on this point. Even when facing potential death, it sought to kill to eat, abandoning every other avenue.

Yes, but it had appeared more lucid at times, which is why it killing Crater surprised me in the episode.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

It was always a killer, the episode is pretty clear on this point. Even when facing potential death, it sought to kill to eat, abandoning every other avenue.

Quite. In short, a stereotypical "monster of the week" story. And one that goes against everything ST stands for, and manages to sell the Enterprise's internal sensors short. If the ability to assume different appearances is purely a matter of projecting some sort of illusion, then it couldn't fool sensors; if it was purely actual shapeshifting, then the Salt Vampire could not be simultaneously perceived three different ways by three different observers.

I will note that something that made the episode particularly nightmarish for me: the "Young Nancy" appearance bore a slight resemblance to the music teacher at my elementary school, at the time I saw the episode the first time.

Contrast that with "The Devil in the Dark": we start with a mysterious "murdering monster," killing with no apparent reason, with no apparent way to communicate with humans, and yet, Spock manages to establish communication, she turns out to be a mother protecting her eggs, and the whole next generation of Hortas become business partners with the Human inhabitants of Janus VI.

 

[BillJ]

Quite. In short, a stereotypical "monster of the week" story. And one that goes against everything ST stands for, and manages to sell the Enterprise's internal sensors short.

I'm not sure it goes against everything Star Trek stands for. At least not from my position.

 

[fireproof78]

And one that goes against everything ST stands for

I wouldn't go that far. Star Trek certainly explores many "monsters of the week" who must be defeated, including Gary Mitchell, Apollo, the Mugato, etc. Star Trek has a wide variety of storytelling options and this one has certainly been apart of it from the beginning.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Mitchell and Apollo were cases of beings corrupted by power.

A mugato is simply a dangerous wild animal. So is a le-matya. So is a Capellan (or in ADF's version, Capalent) power-cat. Or a Denebian slime-devil.

 

[fireproof78]

Mitchell and Apollo were cases of beings corrupted by power.

A mugato is simply a dangerous wild animal. So is a le-matya. So is a Capellan (or in ADF's version, Capalent) power-cat. Or a Denebian slime-devil.

And the salt creature was consumed with hunger, and couldn't be reasoned with, just like Apollo or Mitchell couldn't be reasoned with. At some point it just doesn't work.

Regardless, it doesn't make it outside the spirit of Trek, even if it is a bit odd in the storytelling.

 

[Vger23]

I'm not sure it goes against everything Star Trek stands for. At least not from my position.

Agree

I wouldn't go that far. Star Trek certainly explores many "monsters of the week" who must be defeated, including Gary Mitchell, Apollo, the Mugato, etc. Star Trek has a wide variety of storytelling options and this one has certainly been apart of it from the beginning.

Agree

A TV show doesn't really "stand for" anything. It exists to entertain.

 

[Lord Garth]

Unpopular Opinion: The fourth season of TNG is better than the third.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Unpopular Opinion: The fourth season of TNG is better than the third.

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[Spectre Of The Fun]

Unpopular Opinion: The fourth season of TNG is better than the third.

Boy these are pretty close in quality. These two might be the best of the whole series. "Transfigurations (s3)" and "Night Terrors (s4)" are probably the weakest episodes in each of these strong seasons. The consistent quality of the rest is striking. I wouldn't argue with the idea that four is better than three. They are so close it comes down to preference.

Were you feeling three gets more love because of famous episodes like "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "Best of Both Worlds Of Both Worlds Pt. 1"?

I like your avatar picture. Are you working on a stand up comedy routine? "Martin O'Malley, Ken Cuccinelli and a Ferengi walk into a bar..." For decades Franklyn Ajaye has had a great Trek stand up act. Check him out for pointers.

 

[Lord Garth]

Were you feeling three gets more love because of famous episodes like "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "Best of Both Worlds Of Both Worlds Pt. 1"?

Pretty much. The third season has higher highs but the fourth season is better on average.

I like your avatar picture. Are you working on a stand up comedy routine? "Martin O'Malley, Ken Cuccinelli and a Ferengi walk into a bar..." For decades Franklyn Ajaye has had a great Trek stand up act. Check him out for pointers.

That's actually me doing Karaoke in 2016. I was singing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard.

 

[Spectre Of The Fun]

That's actually me doing Karaoke in 2016. I was singing "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by Def Leppard.

That's great. I've never had enough (liquid) courage to try Karaoke.

I guess I should give an unpopular Trek opinion to stay on topic. Mine is "The Alternative Factor" is more entertaining than "Court Martial." I'll take a brilliant failure over a pedestrian installment any day

 

[JonnyQuest037]

"I have to watch it all!" No. You really don't.

That's my unpopular opinion. I'd go so far as to say it's the unpopular opinion I have.

Agreed.

I still haven't seen most of VOY. (After the Sulu episode I realized that I just didn't really like the show, and it was silly for me to keep watching a show I didn't like just because the words "Star Trek" were in the title.)

I gave up on ENT during the third season, as I didn't particularly want to watch a season long 9/11 allegory. I came back in the fourth year when it remembered that it was actually supposed to be a prequel to TOS.

I love Patrick Stewart's more, Shatnerian approach to acting "Someone find out what the HELL is going on in engineering!" It seemed like he was having more fun with the part back then, not taking himself so seriously.

That's funny, since most sources report that it was the exact opposite. Stewart was a stiff the first year ("We are NOT here to have FUN!") and loosened up considerably in the subsequent years.

I'm not sure it goes against everything Star Trek stands for. At least not from my position.

Yeah, Trek has presented lots of villains who couldn't be reasoned with. Khan in TWOK is the biggest. And practically every movie villain since, since they've all been imitating TWOK to one degree or another.

 

[1001001]

Unpopular opinions, eh?

Voyager is better than DS9.

They’re all better than TOS.

 

[BillJ]

They’re all better than TOS.

Why do you try to hurt me?

 

[1001001]

Why do you try to hurt me?

It’s nothing personal.

I like the movies (except for TMP ).

 

[The Old Mixer]

They’re all better than TOS.

You are not of the Body!