I know it's sci-fi and basically everything is a plot convenience device since it's all unrealistic. I mean the Enterprise itself, a ship that can fly around the galaxy at several times the sped of light and people can walk around in normal gravity, is a convenience device.
But let's be honest and admit that even in a fake world where everything is convenient there are some that are dumber or more unbelievable than others.
Here are 5 that stand out to me:
1. The Nexus: Enough said.
2. The "We're the only ship in range" line. Granted this is plausible because the galaxy is big and even millions of ships would still leave vast patches far away. But on at least 2 occassions- TMP and the beginning of Generations, the Enterprise was literally in the heart of the Federation where they would be dozens, if not hundreds of starships around at any given time. I know the ships are meant to explore and stuff but starfleet isn't going to send out ALL of it's ships at one time. Some would be back for repairs or refits, to bring crew home, or just to have some ships there for various reasons. Yet in in these two occasions there isn't another starship around for light years and neither Enterprise is fully operational yet when they are called into action! Good thing an enemy force didn't attack Earth in large numbers during those times.
3. I know I'm going catch shit for this but....the tricorder. I know they have to have devices that can do things quickly for plot reasons...but seriously is there anything the tri-corder CAN'T do. It can analyze pretty much any medical element of any species, it can tell what kind of chemicals or elements are in the air, soil, or water of anywhere, it can do a wide variety of things detecting radio waves, electromagnetic signatures and tons of other types of energy, it can tell how much time has passes since something happened, or the age of things, it can tell what someone died from, it can be jury rigged for a variety of functions needed to suit situations, in TSFS it was able to read the Genesis' CORE and tell it was unstable, and probably a dozen other things I've forgotten. And it does it all INSTANTLY!!!!! I know it's 300 years from now and, again, they need a device for plot reasons. But couldn't they maybe have a second or even third device they use every once in a while? I find it hard that a hand held device will ever be created that can do such an incredible array of tasks on it's own.
4. Time travel- I like a good time travel episode as much as the next fan and some of the best stories "City/Forever" "The Voyage Home" were centered around time travel. It was cool at first because it was used sparingly and required some kind of advanced ailen technology or dangerous procedure to achieve. But now it seems as common in the ST world as going to McDonalds and there are tons of ways, natural or man made to travel in time. The height of it came at the end of "First Contact" when Picard just casually ordered the Enterprise-E to match the Borg's original temporal frequency and they'd be home in time for dinner........I don't mind the principle of time travel but talk about beating a a dead horse. It's like Doc Brown mass marketed the flux capacitor.
5. The great barrier in TFF. Couldn't let this list go without bringing TFF into it. So there's this big barrier at the edge of the universe that apparently nobody but Sybok has the least interest in exploring. All we hear is that it's impenetrable.....how do they know that? Were ships ever sent through it and they were all destroyed? Did scientists study it and determine it too strong a force to get through? Noone ever seems to say how they know it's impossible to get through.....it just is. Only the Enterprise makes it through with no damage and nothing more dangerous than some mild shaking happens to the crew. Not only that but a BOP makes it through as well with almost no trouble. Where does this "It's impenetrable" crap come from when two ships go through it like a hot knife through butter.
Well there are others, but I hope some of you chime in with your favorites.
But let's be honest and admit that even in a fake world where everything is convenient there are some that are dumber or more unbelievable than others.
Here are 5 that stand out to me:
1. The Nexus: Enough said.
2. The "We're the only ship in range" line. Granted this is plausible because the galaxy is big and even millions of ships would still leave vast patches far away. But on at least 2 occassions- TMP and the beginning of Generations, the Enterprise was literally in the heart of the Federation where they would be dozens, if not hundreds of starships around at any given time. I know the ships are meant to explore and stuff but starfleet isn't going to send out ALL of it's ships at one time. Some would be back for repairs or refits, to bring crew home, or just to have some ships there for various reasons. Yet in in these two occasions there isn't another starship around for light years and neither Enterprise is fully operational yet when they are called into action! Good thing an enemy force didn't attack Earth in large numbers during those times.
3. I know I'm going catch shit for this but....the tricorder. I know they have to have devices that can do things quickly for plot reasons...but seriously is there anything the tri-corder CAN'T do. It can analyze pretty much any medical element of any species, it can tell what kind of chemicals or elements are in the air, soil, or water of anywhere, it can do a wide variety of things detecting radio waves, electromagnetic signatures and tons of other types of energy, it can tell how much time has passes since something happened, or the age of things, it can tell what someone died from, it can be jury rigged for a variety of functions needed to suit situations, in TSFS it was able to read the Genesis' CORE and tell it was unstable, and probably a dozen other things I've forgotten. And it does it all INSTANTLY!!!!! I know it's 300 years from now and, again, they need a device for plot reasons. But couldn't they maybe have a second or even third device they use every once in a while? I find it hard that a hand held device will ever be created that can do such an incredible array of tasks on it's own.
4. Time travel- I like a good time travel episode as much as the next fan and some of the best stories "City/Forever" "The Voyage Home" were centered around time travel. It was cool at first because it was used sparingly and required some kind of advanced ailen technology or dangerous procedure to achieve. But now it seems as common in the ST world as going to McDonalds and there are tons of ways, natural or man made to travel in time. The height of it came at the end of "First Contact" when Picard just casually ordered the Enterprise-E to match the Borg's original temporal frequency and they'd be home in time for dinner........I don't mind the principle of time travel but talk about beating a a dead horse. It's like Doc Brown mass marketed the flux capacitor.
5. The great barrier in TFF. Couldn't let this list go without bringing TFF into it. So there's this big barrier at the edge of the universe that apparently nobody but Sybok has the least interest in exploring. All we hear is that it's impenetrable.....how do they know that? Were ships ever sent through it and they were all destroyed? Did scientists study it and determine it too strong a force to get through? Noone ever seems to say how they know it's impossible to get through.....it just is. Only the Enterprise makes it through with no damage and nothing more dangerous than some mild shaking happens to the crew. Not only that but a BOP makes it through as well with almost no trouble. Where does this "It's impenetrable" crap come from when two ships go through it like a hot knife through butter.
Well there are others, but I hope some of you chime in with your favorites.
