Jammer's Reviews

Re: PIC S3: The Bounty

Thank you for your review Jammer, it was an enjoyable read. This definitely was a kitchen sink episode and I'm going to have to watch it again before I write much about it.

I adored the scene with Seven and Voyager, it made me cry a lot. Instantly it became one of my favorite scenes of all Trek.

Re: ORV S3: Future Unknown

I laughed at points, cringed at other points for them, enjoyed Penny Johnson's performance. Adrienne Palicki is the bedrock, but Penny Johnson is the most relatable.

It's critical they bring back Imami Pullum as Captain Topa for the big reunion in the next season coming in 30 years: "The Orville: Mercer".

Re: SNW S1: The Serene Squall

Seems to me if you capture a top of the line Federation Starship, you could sell it and use a small fraction of that money to buy an elite team to rescue Sybok rather than attempt to play on T'Pring's emotions. The rest of the pirates would want the money they could get from the sale of this ship.

Re: SNW S1: The Elysian Kingdom

The fantasy element was fun, it had a bit of a "Shore Leave" vibe from the TOS episode. I funny agree with Quincy that it was impossible for them to conclude this was a Boltzmann Brain. All they know is that there is an intelligence in the nebula. It's like the writers heard the term and ran with it without really understanding it. If there is an intelligence in the nebula, it's just a kind of intelligence that wasn't yet understood. They've experiences many kinds of intelligences, to jump to the Boltzmann Brain explanation is illogical. The most reasonable explanation is that this intelligence arose naturally from the properties of the nebula.

But the resolution of the story around M'Benga's daughter fell flat. Just a couple episodes earlier, he received a treatment. Sure, it wasn't a cure, but the treatment was quickly forgotten about. It looks like they just gave up on this story and wanted a quick resolution to be done with it. And why should his daughter be an adult a moment later? I get that it was a long time as she experienced it, but she didn't have a body to grow up. What would she even know about being a adult human? Going off to become part of a nebula felt like dying and going off to Heaven. If the nebula created this storybook world for her, why wasn't she involved in the story? It all felt like a cheap ex machina rather than a satisfying resolution.

Re: PIC S3: Imposters

When I was anticipating episode 4, I wondered if it might start out with something very satisfying like a training exercise with Worf and Raffi. I had to wait, but I'm glad Matalas is smart enough to capitalize on that.

I guess my only actual complaint about the silly scene where they are captured and forced to fight is that there was no tension, we knew there was no danger to Worf; in the previews we saw him in a transporter with Riker.

I'm not getting my hopes up but I would love to see Matalas come in for a few years and rehabilitate Trek.

Re: MAND S3: Chapter 19: The Convert

I'm hoping the cloning references get incorporated into a similar plot point as the very first Thrawn novels, where the clones are grown to reconquer the New Republic. Maybe Elia is working for Thrawn.

Re: ORV S3: Midnight Blue

I like how Mercer called out Haveena's "Tactical Opportunism" or whatever the phrase was. And congratulations Imani Pullman, who according to IMDB is going to the Tisch School at NYU - well that sure figures. Add her name to this list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NYU_Tisch_School_of_the_Arts_people

Re: PIC S3: Imposters

The Morn and Brunt reference was fun
Shameless fan service, but still fun :D

Re: PIC S3: Imposters

@Rach
I definitely miss René, he was one of the best actors I've seen, imo. I loved Odo and I felt like René put a tremendous amount of emotion and believability into that character. His final scene in DS9 makes me cry every time.

While on the subject of beloved characters, I love Ensign Ro, and was shocked to see her back. I've always enjoyed Michelle Forbes ever since seeing the film Kalifornia. Her TNG scenes with Whoopi Goldberg are priceless.

I'm glad this one works for me and I'm not trying to analyze it in order to figure out why it didn't. Honestly, it wasn't fun sitting around for a week wondering what the "you killed us all" line could imply.

I keep hearing this is "genuine TNG reunion" but that would require Geordi and Data... at least. (And as much as I love Seven, she's not Data.) Also - I haven't noticed any chemistry between Dr Crusher and Jack; but I'm going to rewatch a few episodes and see if I just missed it. I thought the big reveal would involve full disclosure from Beverly. Hopefully a debriefing is forthcoming - obviously they haven't had a lot of time to do that yet. But it might be good idea to sit her down and ask her what the heck is going on?


N.B. Unless otherwise specified, all comments are directed solely at the episode script.

Re: PIC S3: Imposters

This episode worked for me in every way, it was just brimming with life and emotion. I'm sorry I could not enjoy last week's episode. This feels like I'm back in the saddle again with good old TNG, my 'comfort food' of entertainment. Very happy.

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

Trust no one!!

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

Relative to Discovery, this is absolutely a four-star episode. But that's like saying I prefer a pat on the head over a punch in the face.

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

After much thought, and an eye-straining rewatch, I have to say that Paramount should just be releasing the whole season. What are they waiting for? I did verify with a number of people that all 10 available online, which would explain the full season reviews that are already out.

The reason I bring this up is because sitting around for a week with the very sour and unprofessional "you've killed us all," line up in the air did nothing for my reception of this episode. It's hard to know how you feel about a show when you don't know if the characters are real or imposters. Especially with a show that doesn't seem to be that familiar with its own characters.

The episode had no emotional connection for me, I wish it did! I just feel like the script writers are giving us every excuse to tune out; I'm glad the magic is there for most of us. Part of my interest in TNG has always been science, and hopefully they will have some science on Picard eventually. I'll take Geordi and Data logically dissecting a problem over emotional meltdowns any day.

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

@Darmok that is liable, sir. Highly ironic considering your name.

I was completely glad to stop watching after season 1, I don't think this will put me off entirely from season 3, but there's no excitement.

Save the ad hominem attacks for Twitter, kids. This isn't the place for it.

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

@Jax
"Floating meathead" - I guess I just can't find a reason to care, and that goes double for all of Jack's scenes. Extremely slow plot. I kept watching the clock and I was surprised that 40 minutes in, I was thinking "Why didn't they just cover this in the first 5 minutes?” One thing is for sure, the show was a lot smarter with Geordi and Data, and it treated its audience a lot smarter.

I find it very amusing that the YouTube commentators who stole the episodes through torrenting then go on to complain about the foul language.

Re: PIC S3: No Win Scenario

I've heard a lot of people* say this is one of the best episodes of the season. I have been waiting for this one. Woke up early to watch it. I am in a state of shock, I'm stunned, that was just irrevocably stupid. Where was the science advisor for this show?

Visually - way too dark, even with the brightness turned all the way up.

The ship is being destroyed and Jack is worried about going bald? This is the son of a doctor?

Keeping a famous admiral from eating his meal... for hours? What the hell was that? Who in the world abruptly stops somebody from eating their entree in a restaurant? Truly there is no concept of good manners in nuTrek.

It just seemed like every scene from the start failed, whether logically, canonically, scientifically, or just common sense. One of the most glaring problems in the episode is that I couldn't get invested in any character because any of them could be the changeling, and that was resolved towards the end. Or was it? It doesn't look like the changeling is dead. I guess they're going to have to stop at the One Stop Changeling Bucket Shop.

The moment doctor Crusher started counting down the contractions I started thinking, okay - contractions. 30 minutes later: "hey these might be contractions folks!" And then the swimming in space... with tentacles... It's just daft.

The entire situation between the elder Picard and Jack feels enormously tone deaf for me, especially as a person who had to deal with the emotions of seeking out biological parents later in life. Jack's purported age seems silly, but his terrible acting distracts from his age.


This is just not Star Trek to me.

Last week's episode made me cry, it was so lovely. And this week's episode made me sad and made Will Riker look like an ass. Why do they keep fucking with our heroes?

I wish I could unsee all of Picard.


*It's my understanding that nearly all of the YouTube commentators torrented the series weeks ago; only three that I know of got the first six episodes. This isn't a judgment; but it's not my style.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

@KiminAsia
Everybody has been saying how the Picard and Dr Crusher scene was so well acted. I guess it didn't sell me, there are just too many questions. I don't understand why they can't just run a DNA analysis. I had that done almost 20 years ago (to see if I had found my mother). I think it could be done with a quick scan.

I'm not sure if I can answer your nuTrek question, I've only watched a little bit of Picard and SNW. I don't usually take breaks the first time through. I remember when TNG came out, I would watch a new episode five times. I didn't find myself rewatching anything from Picard season 1 or Strange New Worlds, but I've enjoyed this season enough to watch the episodes several times.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

I can't guess what's going to come in episode 4, but I'm with everyone who thinks the conflict between Riker and Picard will be resolved quickly or ignored.

The problems start immediately with Picard and Riker deciding that they need a ship and purposely deceiving the captain of that ship. That might have worked for the original crew but really, not here. The problem is that they don't act respectfully. I can't see either one of these characters doing this. I can't see anyone rising through the ranks of the military without respecting the chain of command (but then again, I didn't watch Discovery).

Shaw really had a problem sticking to that "no." We don't even know why Seven is on that ship, but the captain should have put her in the brig. And who the hell takes over an entire ship of 500 people and takes them to - ? It's inconsistent with the characters' values that we know from TNG. I think they put Captain Shaw in a horrible position.

There's a lot of exposition that appears to be included so children can follow the show. And that's too bad; that's why I usually read and don't own a TV. I think a huge part of Riker's "you killed us all" line is simply a fixture to guide the less experienced audience members along.

Riker has a temper, Riker can be a bastard. There are scenes in TNG where he is a total son of a bitch ("Ensign Ro" for instance). So yes, I can see where a 70 year old man would lose his temper because he wants to be back home with his family and not out getting a bunch of people killed.

So he lost his temper, that's fine, but the problem is that if he's going to have that kind of conversation with Picard, he *knows* to do it in private. I think an intense discussion in the ready room about combat strategy could have been one of the best scenes in the history of Star Trek. Instead they milk it for nuTrek flavor. If Riker losing his temper was done right, we wouldn't still be discussing it.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

@wolfstar

"Speelers is a serious casting mistake."

Thank you, as I was reading your comment I forgot who Speelers was, but the more you talked about the bad acting the more I realized it had to be Jack. I completely agree, and to be honest I don't understand why they keep defaulting to these familial relations to generate plots. The actor looks just too old. They should have made him 35 years old.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

Bajorans have Prophets, not “Gods”. It’s the little details that matter.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

Can we have Frakes direct everything Trek?
Anytime he has directed an episode, even on Discovery, it has been (or at least appeared to be, which is the same in my book) more coherent and certainly more fun to watch (which is the final objective of any tv show).

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

@Artymiss

I'm glad to hear somebody else say this. Patrick Stewart was in his mid 40s when TNG premiered. Now we have a guy about 10 years older who... I don't know, I just don't see ANY resemblance.

I don't know why studios get horrible ideas and keep those ideas around. Thinking of Nemesis – oh sure he's Picard's clone because they're both bald! This kind of reasoning would have worked for me when I was 8 years old, but not now. The same with the English accent gene, which they meant as a joke, but I do believe that the producers thought it would make it him more like Picard with the accent. I expect my intelligence to be insulted with the feature films, but clearly, clearly this season is for the fans.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

Me: "packed with so many scenes that I would have loved to have seen earlier"

The debates really humanizes the characters for me, to a degree. I'm sure throughout history there have been many ships where the captain and #1 argued and debated...

Picard does seem quite aged in this one, very realistic from my experience with octogenarians. I don't know what they're going for with the conflict, but Jean-luc Picard should absolutely know that the captain has the final word. I guess the obvious answer is that his body has been infiltrated by a changeling and is controlling the android Picard.

Re: PIC S3: Seventeen Seconds

The episode was packed with so many scenes that I would have loved to have seen earlier - I think they expand well on the chemistry between the original crew. And once again I think Captain Shaw is one hell of a good officer. Certainly not a predictable episode. Tears in my eyes watching it. I love my heroes.

When I sat down to watch this I was thinking, okay I'll be disappointed for sure - but I've had a bad day anyway. How wrong I was. Even Raffi was good! And this is the Worf that I wish had been a TV show for him alone. Now he's old and cuddly but still deadly. When he introduced himself, I had to pause the show because I was laughing too hard.

Re: PIC S3: Disengage

It's ironic that the standoff with the Shrike is about giving Jack Crusher due process (outside of Federation space, at that), but Worf is judge, jury and executioner for an entire room full of guards and a little Ferengi.
Different people, different rules.