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Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2
Actually, it's not just the design of the ships but the way they're done in CGI. Murky, dull, and indistinct. Reminds me of a videogame. We don't get a good look at them, and that's no surprise given how awful they look. What a shift from the glorious, epic shots of the ships we got in series past. I can't understand it.
Actually, it's not just the design of the ships but the way they're done in CGI. Murky, dull, and indistinct. Reminds me of a videogame. We don't get a good look at them, and that's no surprise given how awful they look. What a shift from the glorious, epic shots of the ships we got in series past. I can't understand it.
Re: PIC S1: Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2
Christ those Federation ships Riker brought were ugly. They looked like a hideous cross between Voyager and the Enterprise-E (both beautiful ships on their own). And since when are identical galaxy class ships being churned out in a production line like shuttlecraft? It just cheapens it, and you'd think a Dominion war-depleted Federation wouldn't have the resources - or at least that's what the show's been telling us.
Christ those Federation ships Riker brought were ugly. They looked like a hideous cross between Voyager and the Enterprise-E (both beautiful ships on their own). And since when are identical galaxy class ships being churned out in a production line like shuttlecraft? It just cheapens it, and you'd think a Dominion war-depleted Federation wouldn't have the resources - or at least that's what the show's been telling us.
Re: DSC S1: Vaulting Ambition
I cannot care about any of these characters. As much as I try, they just don't have any character, qualities, or history worth caring about, with maybe Saru and Lorca as slight exceptions. It simply lacks all of the important qualities that make Star Trek what it is. Even the trite mirror universe doesn't feel right, but rather like a group of writers floundering through production trying to use old Star Trek tropes as cheap plot twists and crutches for bad writing.
Discovery isn't any more Star Trek than Battlestar Galactica is. Except at least BG gets these themes of war and difficult choices right.
I desperately want a real Star Trek again. How sad is it that The Orville is more Star Trek than Discovery?
1) Picard/Sisko
2) Kirk
3) Archer
4) Alternate universe Riker where his only appearance is screaming at the other Riker before his ship blows up
5) Janeway (her incompetence is the reason they got lost, and she routinely betrayed her own ideals. Not to mention she was hugely smug and obnoxious. The Riker that gets his ship blown up is still better.)
I cannot care about any of these characters. As much as I try, they just don't have any character, qualities, or history worth caring about, with maybe Saru and Lorca as slight exceptions. It simply lacks all of the important qualities that make Star Trek what it is. Even the trite mirror universe doesn't feel right, but rather like a group of writers floundering through production trying to use old Star Trek tropes as cheap plot twists and crutches for bad writing.
Discovery isn't any more Star Trek than Battlestar Galactica is. Except at least BG gets these themes of war and difficult choices right.
I desperately want a real Star Trek again. How sad is it that The Orville is more Star Trek than Discovery?
1) Picard/Sisko
2) Kirk
3) Archer
4) Alternate universe Riker where his only appearance is screaming at the other Riker before his ship blows up
5) Janeway (her incompetence is the reason they got lost, and she routinely betrayed her own ideals. Not to mention she was hugely smug and obnoxious. The Riker that gets his ship blown up is still better.)
Re: TNG S7: Homeward
While this is certainly a bad episode it's far from one of the worst (Masks anyone, ugh). To all those commenting that they could have or should have saved the Boraalans exactly how would they have done that? By the time they arrived at the planet there was very little time left before it was to lose it's atmosphere. They could have (and due to Nicholi did) save what, 200 people? Let's round up and say 1000. How would they pick those 1000? Figure out the smartest and save them? The most fit? What criteria would you use that wouldn't be called out as selective in some negative way. And what would happen to the culture? Sure you'd keep 1000 people alive, and clearly that's a very good thing, but the culture would absolutely be lost. That is the entire point of the prime directive, to not allow for the destruction or perversion of other cultures who are not yet warp capable.
It's very easy to say they should have saved them as it puts you on some moral high ground that doesn't really exist. Sure, you're being "good" and saving lives but at what cost and how? This is very "tree falls in the forest and no one hears it". Had the Federation never studied this planet everyone on it would have died just like they did. Should the Federation be spending as much effort as possible flying around the galaxy trying to help or save other cultures at risk of destruction? What right would Starfleet have in changing the course of these worlds by not only saving them but by forever altering their future.
The Boraalans were selected by nature for extinction. There is nothing moral about that one way or another. Nature knows nothing of morality, it only knows of the realities of life. Things are born, they live, they die. Nature decides this. For the Enterprise to have stepped in and chosen a group to not die would have been monumentally arrogant on their part. They have no place in choosing who lives and who dies. What about all the other life on the planet? Of course I understand that humanoids are sentient but there were far more lives at risk than just the Boraalans. If it were possible to save everything living on the planet that would be one thing. I forget the episode where the used the Enterprise to change the entire atmosphere of a planet thereby saving everyone. If that could have been done without the Boraalans knowledge that would be very different. You could save everyone without destroying their culture at the same time. That's not what happened here and as such the Enterprise had no place nor moral obligation to save only a small group of the lifeforms on the planet. Sad, yes. Starfleets responsibility, no, not at all. Put another way what if two races on a planet were at war with each other with one side about to win and destroy the other. Should the Federation intervene and save the side that's about to die? Who at Starfleet would decide which side is "right" and which is "wrong"? What if the Federation had seen the end of WWII and decided that beating and therefore killing a lot of the Nazis was wrong and should be stopped. Of course we think of the Nazis to be evil (being clear of course I believe that) but how would the Federation make that judgement from their perspective. In an effort to save lives they stop the war, Hitler lives and 10 years later is able to wage another war killing many more.
In short the Federation simply can't play sides. They can't change the natural course of a planet's evolution. They can't save a small subset of people just like they can't help another progress faster. They must remain impartial and separate as they have absolutely no right nor moral obligation to change the course of history for a world and by extension the galaxy. I'm sure I'll be called heartless, as you don't know me you can't know how far from the truth that is. Am I glad that Nickoli's half-baked idea saves about 50 people from an entire planet/culture of course, I didn't want those people to die. But who is he or anyone at Starfleet to play God and decide that this group of Boraalans live and this group dies. As I see it that was decided by one thing, Nickoli's sex drive. He mated with a Boraalan and as such chose her village to live. Why is no one outraged that the only reason this group was selected to be saved was due to an inappropriate sexual relationship? I say inappropriate as he was sent there as a scientist, not to jump into bed with one of the people he was studying.
Is it sad the Boraalans died, of course, it's terribly tragic. It's sad when anything dies, period. Placing the burden to choose who lives and dies on a captain and crew is absolutely unfair to them. How could they live knowing they saved only a small group, they would second guess the decision to save this person or group against that person or group forever. It would be absolutely unfair to place the burden of that decision on a group of explorers, especially with a case like this where the choice needed to be made so quickly with such little information. Nature is a cruel mistress at times and we have neither a moral nor ethical obligation to step in and stop her.
While this is certainly a bad episode it's far from one of the worst (Masks anyone, ugh). To all those commenting that they could have or should have saved the Boraalans exactly how would they have done that? By the time they arrived at the planet there was very little time left before it was to lose it's atmosphere. They could have (and due to Nicholi did) save what, 200 people? Let's round up and say 1000. How would they pick those 1000? Figure out the smartest and save them? The most fit? What criteria would you use that wouldn't be called out as selective in some negative way. And what would happen to the culture? Sure you'd keep 1000 people alive, and clearly that's a very good thing, but the culture would absolutely be lost. That is the entire point of the prime directive, to not allow for the destruction or perversion of other cultures who are not yet warp capable.
It's very easy to say they should have saved them as it puts you on some moral high ground that doesn't really exist. Sure, you're being "good" and saving lives but at what cost and how? This is very "tree falls in the forest and no one hears it". Had the Federation never studied this planet everyone on it would have died just like they did. Should the Federation be spending as much effort as possible flying around the galaxy trying to help or save other cultures at risk of destruction? What right would Starfleet have in changing the course of these worlds by not only saving them but by forever altering their future.
The Boraalans were selected by nature for extinction. There is nothing moral about that one way or another. Nature knows nothing of morality, it only knows of the realities of life. Things are born, they live, they die. Nature decides this. For the Enterprise to have stepped in and chosen a group to not die would have been monumentally arrogant on their part. They have no place in choosing who lives and who dies. What about all the other life on the planet? Of course I understand that humanoids are sentient but there were far more lives at risk than just the Boraalans. If it were possible to save everything living on the planet that would be one thing. I forget the episode where the used the Enterprise to change the entire atmosphere of a planet thereby saving everyone. If that could have been done without the Boraalans knowledge that would be very different. You could save everyone without destroying their culture at the same time. That's not what happened here and as such the Enterprise had no place nor moral obligation to save only a small group of the lifeforms on the planet. Sad, yes. Starfleets responsibility, no, not at all. Put another way what if two races on a planet were at war with each other with one side about to win and destroy the other. Should the Federation intervene and save the side that's about to die? Who at Starfleet would decide which side is "right" and which is "wrong"? What if the Federation had seen the end of WWII and decided that beating and therefore killing a lot of the Nazis was wrong and should be stopped. Of course we think of the Nazis to be evil (being clear of course I believe that) but how would the Federation make that judgement from their perspective. In an effort to save lives they stop the war, Hitler lives and 10 years later is able to wage another war killing many more.
In short the Federation simply can't play sides. They can't change the natural course of a planet's evolution. They can't save a small subset of people just like they can't help another progress faster. They must remain impartial and separate as they have absolutely no right nor moral obligation to change the course of history for a world and by extension the galaxy. I'm sure I'll be called heartless, as you don't know me you can't know how far from the truth that is. Am I glad that Nickoli's half-baked idea saves about 50 people from an entire planet/culture of course, I didn't want those people to die. But who is he or anyone at Starfleet to play God and decide that this group of Boraalans live and this group dies. As I see it that was decided by one thing, Nickoli's sex drive. He mated with a Boraalan and as such chose her village to live. Why is no one outraged that the only reason this group was selected to be saved was due to an inappropriate sexual relationship? I say inappropriate as he was sent there as a scientist, not to jump into bed with one of the people he was studying.
Is it sad the Boraalans died, of course, it's terribly tragic. It's sad when anything dies, period. Placing the burden to choose who lives and dies on a captain and crew is absolutely unfair to them. How could they live knowing they saved only a small group, they would second guess the decision to save this person or group against that person or group forever. It would be absolutely unfair to place the burden of that decision on a group of explorers, especially with a case like this where the choice needed to be made so quickly with such little information. Nature is a cruel mistress at times and we have neither a moral nor ethical obligation to step in and stop her.
Re: TNG S7: Journey's End
I never got the hate for Wes until now. Why let him grow up and then have him act like a teenager? Its not enough being a prodigy but he has to be super human too. Plus, Dr Crusher accepts him leaving starfleet in about thirty seconds, after having no idea he was having second thoughts. Maybe it's for the best, as no one seems to care that he left and tried to talk him round.
I'm fortunate that I missed this episode the first time around. It reminds me of Voyager and its Indian spiritual preachy mumbo jumbo in every Chakotay episode. At least the captain didn't whisper at the end.
I never got the hate for Wes until now. Why let him grow up and then have him act like a teenager? Its not enough being a prodigy but he has to be super human too. Plus, Dr Crusher accepts him leaving starfleet in about thirty seconds, after having no idea he was having second thoughts. Maybe it's for the best, as no one seems to care that he left and tried to talk him round.
I'm fortunate that I missed this episode the first time around. It reminds me of Voyager and its Indian spiritual preachy mumbo jumbo in every Chakotay episode. At least the captain didn't whisper at the end.
Re: DS9 S5: Things Past
I wanted to like this one more than I did, but it feels too much like a 'flip-side' of "Necessary Evil," almost down to the Kira/Odo ending in his office. And I think NE is Top 10 material for the series.
But whereas "Necessary Evil" felt more organically framed and had an exquisitely noir-ish direction/aesthetic going on, this felt a little more forced all around (the random mini mind link, Odo's clear discomfort/guilt from the beginning that the others don't really press him on until the end).
Still a three-star outing, for me. The performances are really good, but it sits in "Necessary Evil's" shadow. I suppose that's more a commentary on that episode than this one, though.
I wanted to like this one more than I did, but it feels too much like a 'flip-side' of "Necessary Evil," almost down to the Kira/Odo ending in his office. And I think NE is Top 10 material for the series.
But whereas "Necessary Evil" felt more organically framed and had an exquisitely noir-ish direction/aesthetic going on, this felt a little more forced all around (the random mini mind link, Odo's clear discomfort/guilt from the beginning that the others don't really press him on until the end).
Still a three-star outing, for me. The performances are really good, but it sits in "Necessary Evil's" shadow. I suppose that's more a commentary on that episode than this one, though.
Re: DS9 S2: Crossover
This is one of those episodes that makes me ache for DS9 in HD. The production design and cinematography are off the charts. I'd love to see it remastered! Sigh. Alas.
The steep camera angles when the Klingons beam onto the runabout in the teaser are very dynamic (for Trek, especially). Everything about the camera in "Crossover" is slightly tilted, slightly off, much like the Mirror Universe itself. Also loved the tracking shot following Bashir through the access tube. It accentuated the urgency of the situation.
The lighting also gives the 'other side' a subtly different look ... somewhat like the 'noir' look in "Necessary Evil" but with more color, perhaps (more nefarious reds and such). It never felt like a copy of the Occupied Terok Nor. It felt like its own universe.
And, as mentioned above, Odo's 'explosion' was a visceral piece of FX.
Story-wise, I love the performances, even though nothing much happens. Kira and Bashir show up, everyone reacts to them, and they leave. But it's still very entertaining. Evil Odo slapping Bashir and Bashir talking back. Mirror Kira is unhinged but there's an air of menace about her (unlike her following appearances). And I just love Trek doing sequels to past series' episodes. Makes the franchise feel even more interconnected.
Four stars, in my book. Great all around, but the real winner here is the production team. They really sell the setting.
This is one of those episodes that makes me ache for DS9 in HD. The production design and cinematography are off the charts. I'd love to see it remastered! Sigh. Alas.
The steep camera angles when the Klingons beam onto the runabout in the teaser are very dynamic (for Trek, especially). Everything about the camera in "Crossover" is slightly tilted, slightly off, much like the Mirror Universe itself. Also loved the tracking shot following Bashir through the access tube. It accentuated the urgency of the situation.
The lighting also gives the 'other side' a subtly different look ... somewhat like the 'noir' look in "Necessary Evil" but with more color, perhaps (more nefarious reds and such). It never felt like a copy of the Occupied Terok Nor. It felt like its own universe.
And, as mentioned above, Odo's 'explosion' was a visceral piece of FX.
Story-wise, I love the performances, even though nothing much happens. Kira and Bashir show up, everyone reacts to them, and they leave. But it's still very entertaining. Evil Odo slapping Bashir and Bashir talking back. Mirror Kira is unhinged but there's an air of menace about her (unlike her following appearances). And I just love Trek doing sequels to past series' episodes. Makes the franchise feel even more interconnected.
Four stars, in my book. Great all around, but the real winner here is the production team. They really sell the setting.
Re: DS9 S3: Visionary
This is one of my favorite DS9 one-offs. A good dose of sci-fi weirdness, mystery, and an impressive visual (of the runabouts fleeing the station as it explodes).
But, even though it's a standalone, it's still connected to the larger fabric! It foreshadows just how concerned the Romulans were about the Dominion. First, they lend the Defiant a cloaking device in 'The Search,' and then they try to destroy the wormhole here. Their failure to do so in this episode leads to their co-venture with the Cardassians to obliterate the Founders in 'Improbable Cause'/'The Die is Cast.'
With all their motivations laid clear, their future actions shouldn't be surprising. (And with the Cardassians' own involvement foreshadowed with the fleet build-up in 'Defiant,' it's amazing just how subtly that whole invasion plot was hinted at beforehand. In retrospect, it's all there.)
But there are so many great lines in this one! From Odo telling Sisko how he needs to remind him just how good he is at his job, to Odo telling the Klingons off in the holding cell, to Kira reading the Romulans the riot act, to Bashir saying, 'Who am I to argue with me?' The dialogue was great throughout.
Very enjoyable.
This is one of my favorite DS9 one-offs. A good dose of sci-fi weirdness, mystery, and an impressive visual (of the runabouts fleeing the station as it explodes).
But, even though it's a standalone, it's still connected to the larger fabric! It foreshadows just how concerned the Romulans were about the Dominion. First, they lend the Defiant a cloaking device in 'The Search,' and then they try to destroy the wormhole here. Their failure to do so in this episode leads to their co-venture with the Cardassians to obliterate the Founders in 'Improbable Cause'/'The Die is Cast.'
With all their motivations laid clear, their future actions shouldn't be surprising. (And with the Cardassians' own involvement foreshadowed with the fleet build-up in 'Defiant,' it's amazing just how subtly that whole invasion plot was hinted at beforehand. In retrospect, it's all there.)
But there are so many great lines in this one! From Odo telling Sisko how he needs to remind him just how good he is at his job, to Odo telling the Klingons off in the holding cell, to Kira reading the Romulans the riot act, to Bashir saying, 'Who am I to argue with me?' The dialogue was great throughout.
Very enjoyable.
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