I have just finished watching this episode for what seems like the 100th time. I hope you are aware I have been following your reviews since 1996 when I was at university in Portsmouth, UK, and Netscape was the preferred browser of choice, I'm now 36...but I digress.
Your review was great but you wanted a pay off for Kor, yet they didn't give you one...this is the genius of this episode, we don't know what Kor did, yet it doesn't matter, he did what was necessary and it keep us wanting more, but we are not going to get it. This is the nature of a legend.
I can't believe I wrote DS9 off as early as 1994 but I was young and inexperienced. To me DS9 is the soul of Trek...to quote the Jem'Hadar, the core of Trek's being...
Ditto Pulanski, I think TNG needed a McCoy... As to the weaknesses of the child, well, I think it was tough to be too interested in him when he only lasted a few days and in the midst of a potentially life-threatening medical transfer!
Enjoyed it when the computer basically told Data to shut up... Also, Troi "someone's hiding something but I'm not sure who or what"... don't leave home without your handy part-Betazoid! Ah, and wish I could have heard the rest of Geordi's joke... sounded like quite a spicy one...
As far as these time/space twisting episodes go, I think this is one of the better and more plausible ones, and must be one of the original ones before Voyager made it an almost weekly plotline.
I think this episode went a long way to establishing the camaraderie between the crew that would eventually give TNG its special atmosphere. Also, it was 'good' to see a death handled like it actually meant something, rather than nameless people just disappearing off. A tad weak, yes, like other season 1 TNG, but certainly not awful, and definitely a little meaningful, more so than in many other sister-series episodes at this point of time, even our Jammer's beloved DS9, and certainly more so than VOY. I'd go for at least 2.5.
I agree, that although the drugs chat was a bit forced, it was a tidy example of discussion and application of the prime directive and a neat solution by Picard. Perhaps the story was a tad lacking but not truly awful... 2.5 at least.
I used to dislike Voyager because it could have been so much more, but after watching some episodes I discovered its true purpose: it's the comfort food of all the Star Trek series. Consequences of character actions are rare, and and it requires from the viewer very little thought. It's easy to watch and comprehend; just sit back and let the simplicity wash over you. Some people enjoying not having to use their brain and more power to them
This episode certainly did the battle for the Federation's soul story a lot better than Star Trek: Into Darkness.
I'm thinking of Pine doing the final confrontation between Sisko and Leyton. It will probably be in a much noisier environment than a television set of an office. But it could have been quite awesome.
Thanks Jammer for all of the reviews, and everyone for all of the comments.
One thought on Geordi/Leah: I can't disagree with the complaints of this Easter Egg, but I can't help but compare this little debate/detail vs. the "smack you in the face" telegraphed eggs of Into Darkness with WoK. Give me the subtle but somewhat problematic Geordi/Leah any day!
Why did Neelix change into one of Quark's outfits? Does the replicator have a clothing section for annoying people? I don't know why but he would have been a better character had he stayed in his fur pimp coat.
being a fan of Mass Effect's brand of military sci fi I tried to give the show another chance, but it's so far up its own ass I was unable to penetrate the pretension.
Patrick:
"In fact, the most horrible crap happened to Worf and O'Brien out of all the main characters on the show. Is it a coincidence that they both happened to originate on TNG? Hmmmm....."
A very good point, Patrick. This could be seen as more of Ira's hatred for TNG; hatred which, as far as I'm concerned, ensured that DS9 would not be embraced as TOS & TNG were.
Still though, I think this is one of the heartier episodes of season 1, provides some good background development on Data, has some good crew interactions, all in all one of the more decent offerings of season 1, and foreshadows what TNG would become in later seasons in terms of the crew and the types of situations they face. It would have been nice to learn a bit more about the entity and the colony.
Way late, but Jack: Because they don't know what they're dealing with yet. It could be someone inside the station, or someone outside of it. Raising shields and powering up weapons could cause them to react prematurely (or for all they know raising the shields could cause the explosion), it was a point that was brought up in the episode.
After losing power:
Paris: "The vultures are circling."
Janeway: "Vultures eat the dead, Mr. Paris. We're not dead yet."
Yeah, that's why he said "circling," Captain Post-op. Vultures commonly circle that which is alive but near death. Don't take it out on Tom just because the raiders took your last crate of mustache wax.
This crap spackle is but one ingredient in the comfort food for smooth brains that is Voyager. Eat up, fatties.
Dear Jammer,
I have just finished watching this episode for what seems like the 100th time. I hope you are aware I have been following your reviews since 1996 when I was at university in Portsmouth, UK, and Netscape was the preferred browser of choice, I'm now 36...but I digress.
Your review was great but you wanted a pay off for Kor, yet they didn't give you one...this is the genius of this episode, we don't know what Kor did, yet it doesn't matter, he did what was necessary and it keep us wanting more, but we are not going to get it. This is the nature of a legend.
I can't believe I wrote DS9 off as early as 1994 but I was young and inexperienced. To me DS9 is the soul of Trek...to quote the Jem'Hadar, the core of Trek's being...
alan,
you are more subtle than most trolls here. Comparing two TNG turds to good DS9 should get you attention.
Ditto Pulanski, I think TNG needed a McCoy... As to the weaknesses of the child, well, I think it was tough to be too interested in him when he only lasted a few days and in the midst of a potentially life-threatening medical transfer!
And maybe.... the designers and operators of the station aren't gone at all, but lie amidst the other victims of the station.... (ominous music)
Enjoyed it when the computer basically told Data to shut up... Also, Troi "someone's hiding something but I'm not sure who or what"... don't leave home without your handy part-Betazoid! Ah, and wish I could have heard the rest of Geordi's joke... sounded like quite a spicy one...
As far as these time/space twisting episodes go, I think this is one of the better and more plausible ones, and must be one of the original ones before Voyager made it an almost weekly plotline.
I think this episode went a long way to establishing the camaraderie between the crew that would eventually give TNG its special atmosphere. Also, it was 'good' to see a death handled like it actually meant something, rather than nameless people just disappearing off. A tad weak, yes, like other season 1 TNG, but certainly not awful, and definitely a little meaningful, more so than in many other sister-series episodes at this point of time, even our Jammer's beloved DS9, and certainly more so than VOY. I'd go for at least 2.5.
I agree, that although the drugs chat was a bit forced, it was a tidy example of discussion and application of the prime directive and a neat solution by Picard. Perhaps the story was a tad lacking but not truly awful... 2.5 at least.
Not to mention the thin white line of semen extending from the holodeck ejection ports, leaving a trail hundreds of light years long.
@Charlie
In response, she says: "Two words. Dear Doctor."
Eh, no worse than 97.5% of Voyager episodes.
Ok, that's the last time I post from my phone using speech to text. That is horrendous.
I used to dislike Voyager because it could have been so much more, but after watching some episodes I discovered its true purpose: it's the comfort food of all the Star Trek series. Consequences of character actions are rare, and and it requires from the viewer very little thought. It's easy to watch and comprehend; just sit back and let the simplicity wash over you. Some people enjoying not having to use their brain and more power to them
This episode certainly did the battle for the Federation's soul story a lot better than Star Trek: Into Darkness.
I'm thinking of Pine doing the final confrontation between Sisko and Leyton. It will probably be in a much noisier environment than a television set of an office. But it could have been quite awesome.
Thanks Jammer for all of the reviews, and everyone for all of the comments.
One thought on Geordi/Leah: I can't disagree with the complaints of this Easter Egg, but I can't help but compare this little debate/detail vs. the "smack you in the face" telegraphed eggs of Into Darkness with WoK. Give me the subtle but somewhat problematic Geordi/Leah any day!
Fun fact: Clint Howard didn't need to wear makeup for this episode.
Why did Neelix change into one of Quark's outfits? Does the replicator have a clothing section for annoying people? I don't know why but he would have been a better character had he stayed in his fur pimp coat.
being a fan of Mass Effect's brand of military sci fi I tried to give the show another chance, but it's so far up its own ass I was unable to penetrate the pretension.
Kazon are just queeny Klingons with krusty quaffs. Sad that they aren't the worst thing introduced by Voyager.
Then my fedora fell off. :(
Patrick:
"In fact, the most horrible crap happened to Worf and O'Brien out of all the main characters on the show. Is it a coincidence that they both happened to originate on TNG? Hmmmm....."
A very good point, Patrick. This could be seen as more of Ira's hatred for TNG; hatred which, as far as I'm concerned, ensured that DS9 would not be embraced as TOS & TNG were.
Still though, I think this is one of the heartier episodes of season 1, provides some good background development on Data, has some good crew interactions, all in all one of the more decent offerings of season 1, and foreshadows what TNG would become in later seasons in terms of the crew and the types of situations they face. It would have been nice to learn a bit more about the entity and the colony.
Way late, but Jack: Because they don't know what they're dealing with yet. It could be someone inside the station, or someone outside of it. Raising shields and powering up weapons could cause them to react prematurely (or for all they know raising the shields could cause the explosion), it was a point that was brought up in the episode.
After losing power:
Paris: "The vultures are circling."
Janeway: "Vultures eat the dead, Mr. Paris. We're not dead yet."
Yeah, that's why he said "circling," Captain Post-op. Vultures commonly circle that which is alive but near death. Don't take it out on Tom just because the raiders took your last crate of mustache wax.