Which is more important?

[Jadzia]

The problem in many of these discussions is that isolated episodes often stretch and contradict the background theories, which were never really formalized. So when we discuss a technology, we have incomplete or contradictory information, which we (the viewers) must reinterpret if we want to answer things like 'does all ship power come from the warp core?'.

Some people do this by forming complex theories of why XyZ normally happens, but not in episode 12. Well that's not for me. I'm not really interested in what is canon or non-canon, and it was only when I joined this bbs that I learned what canon was and how important it is for many people.

I am more interested in the general technologies, by which I mean believable versions of them, even if that ignores what happens in many episodes that stretch the imagination or the science a little too far.

I'd be interested to hear which is important to other people here:

1. accepting everything canon as true, forcing a convoluted explanation for anything unusual.
2. accepting general principles, ignoring unusual events in some episodes as creative license.

 

[Tigger]

I prefer, and follow, #2. None of the individual series, to say nothing of the entire franchise as a whole, was written or produced in a completely consistent manner. Considering how long it ran, and in how many variants, they did a pretty good job, but the show was made by people, and people make mistakes.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I voted for #1, but I really go back and forth on this one, depending on the matter at hand.

 

[AlxxlA]

I voted for #1. Everyone knows that you can explain anything with enough technical or alien words.