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Re: TNG S6: The Quality of Life
Just watched this again. Stands up much better than a lot of people think, including Jammer. It's not all-time great - maybe 3/4 stars - but Data's behaviour isn't inexplicable or overdramatic. Remember: the way proposed to ensure the Exocomps did what was wanted involved removing their volition. An emergent lifeform (because that it clearly what it was, by that point in the plot) was to be sacrificed...against its seemingly sentient will, by lobotomizing it!
Re the court martial, Data could not have used an inverted defence to justify the death of the beings - "I was just following orders" - and his defence for disobeying orders would therefore pretty clearly have been powerful. And - as Data himself says to Picard - there is a strong parallel to the declaration of Data's own rights. "There it sits!"
Just watched this again. Stands up much better than a lot of people think, including Jammer. It's not all-time great - maybe 3/4 stars - but Data's behaviour isn't inexplicable or overdramatic. Remember: the way proposed to ensure the Exocomps did what was wanted involved removing their volition. An emergent lifeform (because that it clearly what it was, by that point in the plot) was to be sacrificed...against its seemingly sentient will, by lobotomizing it!
Re the court martial, Data could not have used an inverted defence to justify the death of the beings - "I was just following orders" - and his defence for disobeying orders would therefore pretty clearly have been powerful. And - as Data himself says to Picard - there is a strong parallel to the declaration of Data's own rights. "There it sits!"
Re: DS9 S4: Starship Down
Re the airdate order, if it helps at all, in the UK VHS release, Little Green Men was first on the tape followed by Starship Down. And indeed on the UK DVDs that I'm currently rewatching, Little Green Men comes first. So based on this and all the above, it definitely looks like Little Green Men was supposed to be the first ep of the two.
It's quite odd - I can't see why the creators would subsequently want to switch the running order of these two. If anything, it makes the season a bit less well-structured, since it brings two comedy eps (Little Green Men and Our Man Bashir) very close together.
Re the airdate order, if it helps at all, in the UK VHS release, Little Green Men was first on the tape followed by Starship Down. And indeed on the UK DVDs that I'm currently rewatching, Little Green Men comes first. So based on this and all the above, it definitely looks like Little Green Men was supposed to be the first ep of the two.
It's quite odd - I can't see why the creators would subsequently want to switch the running order of these two. If anything, it makes the season a bit less well-structured, since it brings two comedy eps (Little Green Men and Our Man Bashir) very close together.
Re: DS9 S3: Civil Defense
PS. Yes, agreed that 2 stars is fair. But prior to rewatching it, I'd have pegged it as a 3 or 3.5.
PS. Yes, agreed that 2 stars is fair. But prior to rewatching it, I'd have pegged it as a 3 or 3.5.
Re: DS9 S3: Civil Defense
@Booming
Yep, fair point, Dukat's face (and the way he twiddles his thumbs anxiously) when the programme turns against him too is brilliant!
And yeah, the blowing up the door is a bit silly. I like the way it produces an almost perfect circle for them to crawl through...
@Booming
Yep, fair point, Dukat's face (and the way he twiddles his thumbs anxiously) when the programme turns against him too is brilliant!
And yeah, the blowing up the door is a bit silly. I like the way it produces an almost perfect circle for them to crawl through...
Re: DS9 S3: Civil Defense
A lot of comments to wade through here so sorry if anyone else mentioned this, but given the jeopardy at the end of the episode - why the hell aren't Sisko, O'Brien and Jake absolutely legging it down to level 34, rather than ambling merrily along?
Apart from that silliness, I'm in two minds on this episode - it's always been one of my favourites, I love the constant ramping up of tension, and it's great that everybody (even the hugely underused Jake) gets something to do.
But... watching it last night for the first time in maybe 10 years, I agree with the posters who've said this one feels off somehow. I don't particularly mind Dukat's overacting, but the normally reliable Garak seems to be chewing the scenery, and a lot of the dialogue feels stilted. I love the idea of the Garak-Dukat sparring, and it should be great to have them together, but the expected wittiness just isn't there.
Maybe I was in a bad mood last night, but I was disappointed really, since I remembered this one as being great, and it just ... isn't.
A lot of comments to wade through here so sorry if anyone else mentioned this, but given the jeopardy at the end of the episode - why the hell aren't Sisko, O'Brien and Jake absolutely legging it down to level 34, rather than ambling merrily along?
Apart from that silliness, I'm in two minds on this episode - it's always been one of my favourites, I love the constant ramping up of tension, and it's great that everybody (even the hugely underused Jake) gets something to do.
But... watching it last night for the first time in maybe 10 years, I agree with the posters who've said this one feels off somehow. I don't particularly mind Dukat's overacting, but the normally reliable Garak seems to be chewing the scenery, and a lot of the dialogue feels stilted. I love the idea of the Garak-Dukat sparring, and it should be great to have them together, but the expected wittiness just isn't there.
Maybe I was in a bad mood last night, but I was disappointed really, since I remembered this one as being great, and it just ... isn't.
Re: DS9 S2: Cardassians
This episode is excellent in my opinion, though the ending is admittedly a little odd.
High point, though, has to be Sisko's amazing deadpan sarkiness when Bashir tells him Garak says he needs a runabout: "Oh? Will just one runabout be enough?"
This episode is excellent in my opinion, though the ending is admittedly a little odd.
High point, though, has to be Sisko's amazing deadpan sarkiness when Bashir tells him Garak says he needs a runabout: "Oh? Will just one runabout be enough?"
Re: TNG S4: Family
This was the first episode of TNG that I ever saw; I was 10 years old, it was 1994, and BBC2 had been airing TOS's third season, which was where I got into Star Trek, and then they switched to TNG, starting here...
It's not a great episode for a 10 year old anyway, as it's a character piece rather than the all-action stuff I wanted, and it's certainly not the best episode to choose as your TNG starting point, as I had no idea what Picard was whinging about!
It's taken me 24 years to get around to watching it again, and I appreciated it much more, though I do agree with Jammer, I think, that it's good but not brilliant.
The bit I perhaps liked most was the opening scene with Picard and Troi; it felt like Ron Moore was poking fun at Troi's general uselessness!
This was the first episode of TNG that I ever saw; I was 10 years old, it was 1994, and BBC2 had been airing TOS's third season, which was where I got into Star Trek, and then they switched to TNG, starting here...
It's not a great episode for a 10 year old anyway, as it's a character piece rather than the all-action stuff I wanted, and it's certainly not the best episode to choose as your TNG starting point, as I had no idea what Picard was whinging about!
It's taken me 24 years to get around to watching it again, and I appreciated it much more, though I do agree with Jammer, I think, that it's good but not brilliant.
The bit I perhaps liked most was the opening scene with Picard and Troi; it felt like Ron Moore was poking fun at Troi's general uselessness!
Re: TOS S1: The Conscience of the King
Is it just me, or did Spock seem really oddly angry for most of this episode?
Is it just me, or did Spock seem really oddly angry for most of this episode?
Re: DS9 S1: Move Along Home
@ data fan:
I agree with you re Nana Visitor. I'm just doing a rewatch of DS9 and find her, Terry Farrell and Siddig el Fadil the worst actors at this stage. In my opinion, Farrell and Siddig vastly improve - pretty quickly - but I never learned to like Visitor's portrayal of Kira.
Knowing they were trying to keep Michelle Forbes as Ro in a similar role really does make me long for that might-have-been...
@ data fan:
I agree with you re Nana Visitor. I'm just doing a rewatch of DS9 and find her, Terry Farrell and Siddig el Fadil the worst actors at this stage. In my opinion, Farrell and Siddig vastly improve - pretty quickly - but I never learned to like Visitor's portrayal of Kira.
Knowing they were trying to keep Michelle Forbes as Ro in a similar role really does make me long for that might-have-been...
Re: BSG S4: Deadlock
I think I have to disagree about the Adama + Tigh + alcohol = Great TV equation, unfortunately. For me, it used to be effective, but we seem to have a scene of this every single week, and it began to feel tired and a little bit ridiculous some time ago. Did anyone ever watch the sketch show A Bit of Fry and Laurie? If so, you may know what I mean when I say that Adama and Tigh's alcohol scenes are starting to seem very much like the Peter and John Uttoxeter Leisuire Centre sketches: "Dammit John!!!!"
I think I have to disagree about the Adama + Tigh + alcohol = Great TV equation, unfortunately. For me, it used to be effective, but we seem to have a scene of this every single week, and it began to feel tired and a little bit ridiculous some time ago. Did anyone ever watch the sketch show A Bit of Fry and Laurie? If so, you may know what I mean when I say that Adama and Tigh's alcohol scenes are starting to seem very much like the Peter and John Uttoxeter Leisuire Centre sketches: "Dammit John!!!!"
Re: DSC S1: What's Past Is Prologue
@Nolan: I fully agree with you. I think what you describe can be found in the comment section of an episode like Spock's Brain. You need to look very hard to find terms like 'frustrating', 'annoyed me to hell', 'brainless' or 'fucking awful'.
@Nolan: I fully agree with you. I think what you describe can be found in the comment section of an episode like Spock's Brain. You need to look very hard to find terms like 'frustrating', 'annoyed me to hell', 'brainless' or 'fucking awful'.
Re: DSC S1: What's Past Is Prologue
I am really enjoying this show. The first couple of episodes I found confusing and messy, but these last few were thrilling and resolved many complaints I had with earlier episodes. I'm happy I decided to continue watching and am excited to see what the crew has to face next!
I've read all of Jammers reviews and enjoyed many contributions of commenters, but this is the first time I wanted to leave a comment myself. Star Trek produced some truly terrible television over the decades and I've been around long enough to watch almost all those terrible episodes when they aired originally (except for TOS, I'm not that old). I found the comments on these terrible episodes always to be in good spirit and often a delight to read. The comments on Discovery episodes are, in my humble opinion, not.
It really feels like I stepped into a Mirror Universe version of Jammers review commenting section.
I am really enjoying this show. The first couple of episodes I found confusing and messy, but these last few were thrilling and resolved many complaints I had with earlier episodes. I'm happy I decided to continue watching and am excited to see what the crew has to face next!
I've read all of Jammers reviews and enjoyed many contributions of commenters, but this is the first time I wanted to leave a comment myself. Star Trek produced some truly terrible television over the decades and I've been around long enough to watch almost all those terrible episodes when they aired originally (except for TOS, I'm not that old). I found the comments on these terrible episodes always to be in good spirit and often a delight to read. The comments on Discovery episodes are, in my humble opinion, not.
It really feels like I stepped into a Mirror Universe version of Jammers review commenting section.
Re: DSC S1: Despite Yourself
@Ed: The first Star Trek novel I ever read was Diane Duane's Dark Mirror: a TNG-set mirror universe story, which sounds like precisely what you want! It was later contradicted by DS9's mirror universe eps, but if you don't mind that, then it's a very entertaining read. I believe there are a number of other MU novels, published a couple of years ago, but I haven't read them so can't recommend.
@Ed: The first Star Trek novel I ever read was Diane Duane's Dark Mirror: a TNG-set mirror universe story, which sounds like precisely what you want! It was later contradicted by DS9's mirror universe eps, but if you don't mind that, then it's a very entertaining read. I believe there are a number of other MU novels, published a couple of years ago, but I haven't read them so can't recommend.
Re: ENT S3: Doctor's Orders
Just to add my tuppence worth, I watched this one last night and very much enjoyed it. As many others have, I immediately recognised it for a rip-off of One, but I liked it much more than its predecessor - probably because I find Phlox a far more interesting character than Seven, and I like Enterprise a lot more than I do Voyager, so I'm possibly more willing to cut it some slack!
I did wonder - given how obvious it was that T'Pol was a hallucination - if we were supposed to figure this out early on, and that the fun of the episode was to be found in watching out for all the subtle clues.
Anyway, I'd class this as a solid middle of the road entry; if Enterprise had never been worse than this, it would have been a great show.
Just to add my tuppence worth, I watched this one last night and very much enjoyed it. As many others have, I immediately recognised it for a rip-off of One, but I liked it much more than its predecessor - probably because I find Phlox a far more interesting character than Seven, and I like Enterprise a lot more than I do Voyager, so I'm possibly more willing to cut it some slack!
I did wonder - given how obvious it was that T'Pol was a hallucination - if we were supposed to figure this out early on, and that the fun of the episode was to be found in watching out for all the subtle clues.
Anyway, I'd class this as a solid middle of the road entry; if Enterprise had never been worse than this, it would have been a great show.
Re: DS9 S6: The Sound of Her Voice
I watched this last night for the first time in nearly 20 years - back when it aired I wrote it off as a waste of time. I thought this time round that it was a pleasant if fairly unremarkable episode.
Highlight for me was Colm Meaney's acting: I thought he really sold it.
About two thirds through I realised someone was missing: where was Dax this week? I know she showed up at the end but her absence felt odd.
I actually liked what they did with Jake here. I seem to recall he's underused in season 7 - might have been nice if they'd had him teaming up with Quark a little more, which could have been an even neater inversion of the expected Jake=Starfleet, Nog=Ferengi businessman setup.
I watched this last night for the first time in nearly 20 years - back when it aired I wrote it off as a waste of time. I thought this time round that it was a pleasant if fairly unremarkable episode.
Highlight for me was Colm Meaney's acting: I thought he really sold it.
About two thirds through I realised someone was missing: where was Dax this week? I know she showed up at the end but her absence felt odd.
I actually liked what they did with Jake here. I seem to recall he's underused in season 7 - might have been nice if they'd had him teaming up with Quark a little more, which could have been an even neater inversion of the expected Jake=Starfleet, Nog=Ferengi businessman setup.
Re: TNG S2: The Royale
Always a favourite of mine, as it was one of the few I had on VHS back in the 90s. And come on, who can't love an episode with Picard's immortal line: "A revolving door? Proceed with caution, Number One."
Always a favourite of mine, as it was one of the few I had on VHS back in the 90s. And come on, who can't love an episode with Picard's immortal line: "A revolving door? Proceed with caution, Number One."
Re: ENT S4: Observer Effect
There is one little problem with this episode: the biochemistry is bogus in a very elementary way.
The virus is silicon-based; it needs silicon compounds to grow. There is no silicon in human bodies. So how could it grow in us?
I could imagine it infecting windows, wine glasses, ceramics, silicon based electronics (if such electronics are still in use in the mid 22nd century)... but not humans or animals from Earth.
Otherwise, it's an ok episode.
There is one little problem with this episode: the biochemistry is bogus in a very elementary way.
The virus is silicon-based; it needs silicon compounds to grow. There is no silicon in human bodies. So how could it grow in us?
I could imagine it infecting windows, wine glasses, ceramics, silicon based electronics (if such electronics are still in use in the mid 22nd century)... but not humans or animals from Earth.
Otherwise, it's an ok episode.
Re: TOS S3: Plato's Stepchildren
@ Gordon:
The other episodes banned by the BBC was 'Whom Gods Destroy'. According to Memory Alpha, the broadcast of 'Miri' resulted in complaints, leading the Beeb to review all the other eps and decide 'Plato', 'Empath' and 'Gods' were unsuitable because they 'all dealt most unpleasantly with the already unpleasant subjects of madness, torture, sadism and disease'. 'Miri' wasn't shown again until the early 90s, and the three originally banned eps received their first UK air date around the same time.
@ Gordon:
The other episodes banned by the BBC was 'Whom Gods Destroy'. According to Memory Alpha, the broadcast of 'Miri' resulted in complaints, leading the Beeb to review all the other eps and decide 'Plato', 'Empath' and 'Gods' were unsuitable because they 'all dealt most unpleasantly with the already unpleasant subjects of madness, torture, sadism and disease'. 'Miri' wasn't shown again until the early 90s, and the three originally banned eps received their first UK air date around the same time.
Re: TNG S2: The Measure of a Man
More about "Measure of a Man": In addition to Trajan's objections, I'll also add that the episode strikes me as a huge dodge of the issue they set themselves up to decide.
One wonders how Data got to serve at all if his entrance committee only had one objection -- Cmdr. Maddox's objection -- and that committee based their decision on sentience like Data said.
But there's another problem: the slavery argument (should we or should we not let Maddox make a race of copies of Cmdr. Data?). The slavery argument only works if you already agree with what Capt. Picard had to argue. The slavery argument fails if already agree with what Cmdr. Riker had to argue (Data is property, he can no more object to work than the Enterprise computer can object to a refit). It seems to me that the slavery argument presupposes the very thing the hearing is meant to decide and therefore this argument has no place in this hearing.
And Cmdr. Louvois' finding essentially passes the buck (as she all but says at the end of the hearing): she has no good reason to find as she does but she apparently believes erring on the side of giving Data "choice" is a safer route.
I think this episode might merit as the most overrated TNG episode.
More about "Measure of a Man": In addition to Trajan's objections, I'll also add that the episode strikes me as a huge dodge of the issue they set themselves up to decide.
One wonders how Data got to serve at all if his entrance committee only had one objection -- Cmdr. Maddox's objection -- and that committee based their decision on sentience like Data said.
But there's another problem: the slavery argument (should we or should we not let Maddox make a race of copies of Cmdr. Data?). The slavery argument only works if you already agree with what Capt. Picard had to argue. The slavery argument fails if already agree with what Cmdr. Riker had to argue (Data is property, he can no more object to work than the Enterprise computer can object to a refit). It seems to me that the slavery argument presupposes the very thing the hearing is meant to decide and therefore this argument has no place in this hearing.
And Cmdr. Louvois' finding essentially passes the buck (as she all but says at the end of the hearing): she has no good reason to find as she does but she apparently believes erring on the side of giving Data "choice" is a safer route.
I think this episode might merit as the most overrated TNG episode.
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