Star Trek: The Next Generation
"The Outrageous Okona"
Air date: 12/12/1988
Teleplay by Burton Armus
Story by Les Menchen & Lance Dickson and David Landsberg
Directed by Robert Becker
Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan
I'll start with the good part, which earns the episode its points: The B-story involving Data following Guinan's advice to learn humor and taking lessons from a holographic stand-up comic (Joe Piscopo) ends up working reasonably well. Joe Piscopo isn't funny in these scenes, but Data is by definition an inspired straight man to a (would-be) comic persona. The scene where he gives his performance to an audience that laughs no matter what he does is both funny and sad; Data simply doesn't understand humor and maybe never will.
As for the main story, it's one of the most hoary and forgettable things in TNG's run. The Enterprise rescues Captain Okona (William O. Campbell; where's Bruce Campbell when you need him?) from his disabled ship. Okona spends his time aboard the Enterprise making high-spirited jokes, hitting on women, and in general being the type of Personality that requires a capital letter. (Wesley idolizes him ... which makes Wesley an even bigger nerd than I thought.) I suppose nothing says "swashbuckling scoundrel" like a ponytail and a three-day beard. One woman taken by Okona's charms is Teri Hatcher — yes, Teri Hatcher — whom Okona beds in record time.
The plot is a pedantic bore masquerading as light comedy. Okona is either in the middle of or the cause of a dispute between two feuding families. Is he the father of the pregnant girl whose father is really mad? Did he steal the crown jewel from the other family? Or is there something else here going on involving hopeless rehashed scraps of Romeo and Juliet? The episode makes it impossible for us to care, particularly in the awful climactic scene where all the parties are aboard the Enterprise and the air is finally cleared — in one of the worst-acted and worst-directed scenes I can remember on this series.
Previous episode: Elementary, Dear Data
Next episode: Loud as a Whisper
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86 comments on this post
Tue, Dec 11, 2007, 3:04am (UTC -5)
I really like the last scene of "Contagion" for some reason, with Picard trying to find his way through the Iconian gate...maybe it's just directed really well.
"Time Squared" is one of my favorite time travel episodes on any series, not just Star Trek. It starts off with the crew seeing their certain doom but no clue how it happens, builds off of this tension well, and everything comes together perfectly in the end. The second Picard slowly coming back to reality is a great touch.
Wed, Apr 13, 2011, 12:09am (UTC -5)
Sun, Sep 16, 2012, 2:57am (UTC -5)
Sat, Sep 22, 2012, 4:41pm (UTC -5)
Sun, Nov 4, 2012, 11:02am (UTC -5)
Fri, Nov 9, 2012, 4:36pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Dec 19, 2012, 6:04pm (UTC -5)
This is the worst Trek episode that I've seen so far. Worse than "Code of Honor", "Shades of Grey" and every other weak episode in between. it was so bad that I put TNG on hold for some good six months before I dared to keep watching.
It felt like anything but a TNG episode. Star Trek is not the place for love triangles, "suave" characters and parodies of much better romantic dramas.
On the bright side, the Data vs Humor plot wasn't that bad, but the comedian wasn't funny. At all. It was an embarrassing performance, just like when you ask your average dude to "act" and they do all sort of lame imitations of what they've seen on TV.
---
@ papa: I know the feeling. :(
While my case wasn't as bad as yours (just 6 months, instead of 10 years :P), this episode is bad enough to scare off any potential fan of the series.
@ Xaaos: I agree. Troi as a character was often more annoying than not, and completely unnecessary most of the times. When she's sensing stuff, she's the master of the obvious. And when she doesn't say a word, why would you like her to be there next to the captain? She's good looking and all, but I don't need a token cleava...woman to remind me the Federation is not exclusively composed of men.
Wed, Dec 19, 2012, 10:49pm (UTC -5)
As for watching it now as an adult, very bland and feels like it belongs on TOS in the 60s rather than TNG. The comedian on the holodeck was dreadful, I'd definitely walk out of his show in real life. Data and his totally tickled holodeck audience was kind of fun, but in the end this episode could never have existed and nothing would have been lost in TNG's canon.
Tue, Mar 12, 2013, 4:10pm (UTC -5)
In other episodes, ("Data's Day" for one) Data mentions that Riker is always telling jokes and making people laugh - well that's who he should be trying to talk to learn about humor then! I too didn't find the comedian funny, though I did find the audience laughing at Data no matter what he did somewhat amusing.
Anyways, whenever I re-watch TNG I NEVER skip this episode. For one, this is one of the few, small, civilian craft that the Enterprise runs into, though you would think that would happen much more often. It's nice to see this angle. While I could do without the womanizing of the guest character, he did have some interesting dialog with some of the main characters of the Enterprise, and I enjoyed their dialog.
I also enjoyed the scene where the Enterprise gets challenged by two much smaller craft. At one point, Picard mentions he needs to know something, in case he needs to surrender to one of the vessels, and we saw a shot of annoyed Worf (No, Worf is not into surrendering to inferior opponents..) - just priceless.
Anyways, the intent of the producers of the show was to entertain, and I've shown above how it has done just that. Therefore, I give 2.5 stars/4.
Wed, Apr 3, 2013, 7:21am (UTC -5)
As @Corey mentions above, there is something funny about the situation in which the Enterprise is constantly threatened by ships much less powerful than her. I think Riker references Gulliver's Travels, even (though I might be making that up).
Anyway, yeah, Okona is not anywhere near "outrageous" enough to justify the honorific, and it feels like scenes and scenes are designed to burn into our brain how much of a lovable rogue this guy is. Pass.
Thu, Mar 6, 2014, 9:55am (UTC -5)
I really liked the Okona character though. He was fun and I liked the vibe he gave to the crew.
TNG was still finding it's feet but this was a lightweight episode moving in the right direction.
Tue, Mar 25, 2014, 3:25am (UTC -5)
As he explained, he just had to do things to lighten up his otherwise very dull and uninteresting occupation and life.
As far as his rank of captain, a captain is anyone who is charge of a ship. In his case his ship only required himself as crew but he was still the captain of her as he was the one responsible for her.
There was a later episode in which Wesley Crusher was critical of a shuttle pilot who called himself a captain. While the guy was arrogant, he was basically correct. Whoever is charge of a ship, whether it is an old mining shuttle, limited non-warp interplanetary craft, or great big starship is indeed the captain of her.
Thu, Jul 3, 2014, 2:44pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Jul 3, 2014, 6:46pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 11, 2014, 12:31am (UTC -5)
This episode sucks. The conclusion involves two characters we had no idea existed until about 1 minute prior. Shockingly incompetent all around.
Thu, Dec 11, 2014, 1:43am (UTC -5)
Re this episode: The idea of a lovable space rogue isn't that terrible or implausible, but I found the character of Okona to be unbelievable all the same. He smiles WAY too much. I also found the "drama" surrounding his life and his suitors to be uninteresting, not to mention a tad bit outdated and sexist.
The whole Data/comic thing works if you think about it as anti-humor. That includes Guinan's regrettable annoyed/droid pun.
It is SO profoundly unfunny that I find myself laughing at how inept and off-base it is. Yes, I just said it's so unfunny it's funny. :/
It's like the car accident you can't pull your eyes away from. It's VERY bad, but such in interesting ways!
**
Two Stars
Wed, Apr 22, 2015, 5:40am (UTC -5)
I'm about 15 minutes into this one, and I'm relieved that my phone is about to die. Every other word out of Okona has me rolling my eyes so hard they're about to roll out of my head. I'm committed to watching every episode, but I may have to come back to this one.
Mon, May 11, 2015, 8:03pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Jul 25, 2015, 11:05pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Aug 21, 2015, 10:03pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Aug 22, 2015, 3:30pm (UTC -5)
I guess the Okona character is amusingly rogueish, and Data doing Jerry Lewis is one of those WTF moments - and what was with the Tip O'Neil joke? If there's anything that dates a series - particularly one set in the future - it's a reference to current affairs... A bit of a shocker - 1.5 stars.
Fri, Nov 13, 2015, 3:01pm (UTC -5)
Main story deserves zero stars, but Data trying to make Guinan laugh is just too awesome to make this a bad episode.
Fri, Nov 13, 2015, 11:22pm (UTC -5)
I like Star Trek. I like spending time in that world. Here I like the interactions between Picard and Riker on the bridge, and how Wes and Data relate to Okona. I like the Guinan-Data scenes. It was 45 minutes spent in a better world than this one. That's enough for me.
Sat, Nov 14, 2015, 8:26am (UTC -5)
You are absolutely right. In fact, seeing so many complaining so much about the minor faults and lesser details of what are, essentially, wonderful stories about a better future is what has made me all but stop commenting here on Jammer's.
There are wonderful little moments and details in every single episode of Star Trek; and if sometimes the story is less grand than others, we should enjoy those moments, instead of pedantically pointing out errors. In my personal case, I especially like spirit of TNG, and the crew of the Enterprise-D. And I'm always perfectly happy to spend the better part of an hour in their company.
"I like Star Trek. I like spending time in that world. [...] It was 45 minutes spent in a better world than this one. That's enough for me."
Bravo, sir!
Sat, Nov 14, 2015, 8:37pm (UTC -5)
Bravo from me, too. As the ellipses added by Andy's Friend indicate, that noble sentiment is more powerful when "Okona" is ignored. Or rather, the sentiment applies universally, not just to one problematic story.
Wed, Dec 9, 2015, 9:45am (UTC -5)
They can't be fighting Romulans or being stuck in black holes all the time, you know.
Answer me this, J and all who've commented: did you laugh? Did you have fun watching this episode at any point? Cuz if you did that means it deserves top marks.
It was hilarious in my opinion. Couldn't stop thinking he was dressed almost identical to Harrison Ford in another popular scifi staple. Whoever could that be?
No, not perfect but I would say 3 stars. Comic relief, Whoopi was awesome, as was Brent. Even Patrick was essential to give the illusion of grounding things.
It was just pure fun. Marina's reaction when the rogue first appeared on the viewer at the start sums it up: she laughed like a little kid.
1 and a half stars is just ridiculous. If you're expecting serous and meaningful exposition all the time? Go watch something else. Star Trek has always been about fun and not taking ourselves too seriously. I mean, honestly, they devoted an entire movie to that pursuit: The Voyage Home, anyone? And arguably one of the best. Personally my favourite of all the Trek movies.
Thu, Apr 21, 2016, 11:09am (UTC -5)
Tue, Jun 7, 2016, 3:35pm (UTC -5)
Okana looked like they really wanted him to be a Han Solo kind of character, from his dress to him even being a smuggler! This plot is not unwatchable and at times in unintentionally funny. one star
Final score:1.5
Tue, Jun 14, 2016, 5:51pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Nov 4, 2016, 4:34am (UTC -5)
Wed, Feb 15, 2017, 3:36pm (UTC -5)
" Hey,look at me -I have sex appeal oozing from my pores-admit it you can't resist me."
Terri Hatcher should have kicked him in his overactive gonads.
Brent Spiner and Whoopi Goldberg saved this from absolute ruin but it is telling that the guy from Soap is playing Romeo's Dad cos this was pure cable tv frothy fare and deserves to be deleted.
.5 stars
Tue, Feb 28, 2017, 7:58pm (UTC -5)
Aside from that everyone else slamming this episode is entirely correct. Just the mere fact we have a bunch of poorly developed characters who have no connection to the main characters of the series and no role in anything lasting, just some random people they encounter who we've never seen before and will never see again, taking over an entire episode with some boring love triangle romance - well it is astounding this was approved as a script. And there's no they'd or message to redeem it, no meaningful interaction with the main characters who are just kind of there as extras to facilitate this lame romance story. I think most people I know could come up with something much better, even if they know little or nothing about star trek.
Thu, Mar 16, 2017, 3:07am (UTC -5)
Well, that's partially true. There is an "Okona" in this episode, but "Outrageous?" And Troi's shameless Informed Attributes attribution of being brazen, a lady's man, adventurous, etc. is so laughable as to almost be the best comedy (definitely more than Joe Piscopo) we'll see in this hour.
Wed, May 3, 2017, 4:19pm (UTC -5)
Mon, May 8, 2017, 5:45am (UTC -5)
For all of Whoopi Goldberg's presence and delivery, her joke "You're a droid and I'm a noid" didn't work either.. that scene could have been good if they came up with a joke that actually works. If you have to explain the joke to the audience (I didn't get it until it was explained) then it's not funny.
Sat, Jun 10, 2017, 1:15am (UTC -5)
Although I love how Data says "So if I jump around like an idiot, that is considered funny?"
Mon, Oct 16, 2017, 4:59am (UTC -5)
those scenes were awkward and cringeworthy, which was probably the point of them, but I don't really do cringe-humor and I thought it was more painful than funny.
I get what its supposed to do for Data's character but I just wanted him to shut up. it was much funnier when Q made him laugh in one of Q's episodes.
Fri, Jan 5, 2018, 1:13pm (UTC -5)
All of these questions aren't answer in the episode, but I find it significant that they're raised because to an extent I do think this loser of a character is a good demonstration about how Trek *should not* be about encouraging particular outlooks on so-called sexual liberation. I personally find Okona unavoidably creepy and I'm not at all convinced by the ending where we're shown to have wrongly assumed his guilt based on his reputation. Let's face it: the reputation is more than earned and the fact that the baby *wasn't* his is more of a coincidence than a realization that we misjudged him. We really didn't.
That being said, later TNG becomes so non-sexual in general that it almost feels like a whiplash effect from S1-2 where they wanted to maximally distance themselves from promoting a sexually licentious future. I think perhaps a better balance could have been struck overall so that it didn't have to be so all-or-nothing between sex being casual and between it not existing almost at all.
Thu, Feb 8, 2018, 10:47am (UTC -5)
Excellent analysis. I never really thought about how sexually flippant they were in these first two seasons. All that Prime Directive talk, but the crew is apparently free to screw across the Alpha Quadrant.
And they thought it was quaint that the dad from the planet was upset about his pregnant daughter.
Mon, Mar 12, 2018, 8:48am (UTC -5)
Quit whining and laugh, morons!
Okay enough of this,
A hopefully more mature view:
While Data and his comedy were funny, those families had real issues that while petty and upsetting to you were quite relevant to them. Okona was funny and charming at first but also wise enough to man-up and to be mature enough to face the music instead of running away. In the end he really helped them and by the episode's end they all were well on their to resolving their issues and acting in a more civil manner to each other.
Want to know what preachy jack ass wrote this? Contact him at [email protected]
Love your site and will keep reading and commenting,
Peter Swinkels
Tue, Mar 13, 2018, 4:47pm (UTC -5)
The subplot about Data trying to understand humor as a way of being more human was just not done well -- the Jerry Lewis impersonation by the comic was terrible and even Guinan's first meeting with Data was terrible (she tells him to get a better computer or something). Her joke to Data (droid/a noid) was so bad. This episode really had it's share of forgettable scenes... I usually associate Guinan with some important episodes and making some very perceptive comments, but here she's misused. Data should have talked to, for example, Geordi about humor.
As for Okona -- as an alien we can accept that he has radically different sexual ideas than what Star Trek would want to advocate -- very liberal and certainly some female members of the Enterprise crew come across as quite loose. But there's no Picard/Riker moralizing to "set things straight". And what was up with Wesley's admiration of Okona?? The writers found another way for Wesley to be portrayed as annoying.
The scene with the pregnant daughter and son and their undercover relationship with Okona caught in between -- seriously, how poorly was this acted?? I did like that Picard was in some kind of bind and didn't want to take sides or interfere. He had to figure out how to get out of the quandary given he held custody of Okona.
1 star -- The episode took long enough to find something of a plot and it turned out to be quite disappointing. The "humanization of Data" arc was weak although one could appreciate the sentience of the android and his trying to grasp the humor concept -- purely to support the light-hearted intentions of this episode. "The Outrageous Okona" is very much an early TNG failure before the series ever knew how to do an outstanding episode.
Wed, Mar 14, 2018, 4:45am (UTC -5)
Tue, Mar 20, 2018, 2:15pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 3:29am (UTC -5)
My God... that scene.
It was one of the worst things I have ever seen on TV, and I’ve seen every episode of Small Wonder.
Wed, Apr 18, 2018, 2:07pm (UTC -5)
Sat, May 19, 2018, 10:59am (UTC -5)
I could tolerate the secret lovers thing, it was like a poorly-written opera. But everything with Data and that awful comedian was boring and annoying.
Wesley was totally in love with Okona. Look at him, infatuation at first sight. If this wasn't a PG show, they'd be banging.
Mon, May 21, 2018, 7:00am (UTC -5)
Guinan's quip about droid/noid was a cute observation but it wasn't funny. Data's running gags such as the android laugh after being informed that something was funny, his comedic delivery of old jokes and his persistent pursuit to understand humor, made for a highly entertaing episode.. "Take jy Worf ... please" BWAHAHAHAHAHA
Mon, May 21, 2018, 7:41am (UTC -5)
I love Trek but I struggled through the JJ Abrams films and you couldn't pay me to watch another eoisode of Discovery.The pilot was sooo bad, I get more satisfaction from The Orville.
Thu, May 31, 2018, 7:33am (UTC -5)
It was a lighthearded episode that worked.
I can't believe I'm the only one who didn't find Guinan annoying in this episode. Always so high and mighty up in her high horse.
Her joke that she considered funny wasn't funny in the least. Data's doctor joke was funnier. Yet, she talkes him down as of it wasn't.
Useless, annoying character.
Sat, Jul 28, 2018, 11:39am (UTC -5)
Tue, Oct 23, 2018, 3:42pm (UTC -5)
The scenes with Data trying to learn comedy have some pathos and humor value (especially when he raises his hand and realises the holodeck audience will laugh at whatever he does), though don't totally pay off either, the conclusion is a little underwhelming. Guinan is pretty much the only person who comes out of this episode OK.
What is the deal with the Worf "I'd like that" scene? Is Okona offering to fight him, have sex with him, or both? :D
Mon, Nov 26, 2018, 2:28am (UTC -5)
Weird. I don't comment much but I really like getting very different takes on these episodes, and look forward to reading the review and comments here the minute an episode is done. I can't imagine anything more dull to read than people purely being positive about things they liked, and so worried about appearing to "complain" that they turn off their critical faculties. No thanks.
Wed, Dec 5, 2018, 1:16pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 12:44am (UTC -5)
“You’re a droid, and I’m a noid.”
— Guinan to Data
“Take my Worf, please.”
— Data
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 10:54am (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 12:21pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 1:10pm (UTC -5)
Other than that I would put this episode among the all-time lows of the entire Trek canon for multiple reasons. It's certainly got less real content than Shades of Grey, is less dignified than The Naked Now, and hasn't got the moral stature of Code of Honor. I can't realistically put this one as low as Profit and Lace, Threshhold, Macrocosm, and all of ENT, but it's right down there.
One exceptional and out-of-character moment, though: when the alien ship arms "lasers" and Picard drops the shields to surrender, it's one if the biggest laughs in the series. So I'll pretend this moment happened in another episode to avoid giving it any credit.
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 1:52pm (UTC -5)
I agree, though, that Whoopi is *so good*, and I'd argue that the moments between her and Data kind of work for me because of the strength of those two performers even if the "Data learns humour" plot is botched by the bizarre writing (and performances from Piscopo) choices.
I also like the moment you mention with the lasers and where Riker adds, that he feels like they're in Lilliput.
The episode does, I guess I'm saying, have some things going for it, and so I'd put it above Code of Honour anyway. Maybe not Shades of Grey.
Thu, Dec 6, 2018, 3:12pm (UTC -5)
And yeah, Goldberg deserves an Oscar for making it as bearable as possible. Has one, come to think of it...
Tue, Mar 5, 2019, 1:00pm (UTC -5)
The only good thing about this was Data trying to understand humour. 8/10 for that part
3/10 overall
I am not even going to waste time talking about the old tired adventurer playboy trope. yuck. the women.... who wrote this episode and directed it?
Fri, May 31, 2019, 1:24pm (UTC -5)
The scary part is that Piscopo and Spiner apparently ad-libbed most of that stuff because what they were given to work with was somehow *even worse*
Thu, Aug 15, 2019, 1:04am (UTC -5)
--I have some memories of this one. Not good memories.
--Ugh. I think I'm supposed to charmed by Okona, but he just comes off as arrogant, phony, and annoying.
--Teri Hatcher. She looks pretty.
--And Okona is describing "what Life is," to Data. We're back to our Season-theme. This time the emphasis is on joy, freedom, living as you want to live, to be truly alive.
--Data is buying in, and trying to learn how to add some of this fun stuff to his experience, so he can be a real boy. The Piscopo part is wretched. The Data trying to be funny with Guinan is pretty cute.
--Never change, Data. I love you so much more than Okona.
--Lots of dry humor, what's funny, what's not funny, how individual "what you enjoy, what you think is funny" is.
--Quite boring. Bad dialogue. Lots and lots of silly. Two captains want to arrest Okona.
--Picard uses GoToMeeting and gets all parties on a conference call. Nothing is resolved.
--Slow, slow, slow - slow - moving.
--Kind of an unbearable lightness of being theme, here. You can fly high but miss out on relationships, or get involved with others, be more grounded, but miss out on flying high. You determine the balance you want. Choose your poison.
--Okona very King Solomon, here. New Life in the womb. This scene with the two Dads is horrendous. Bad dialogue, horribly acted. Ugh.
--It is not a good sign when I can't wait for an episode to be over.
--Data does a comedy routine. He finds out that life isn't really living if your experiences are not genuine.
--Take this episode, please.
A stinker.
Fri, Jan 17, 2020, 8:18pm (UTC -5)
I first saw this episode as a teenager and, coming from Central Europe, it was pretty much I was exposed to (American-style) stand-up comedy. I thought it was quite the opposite of funny, amusing, pleasant, humorous, you name it. I hated it so much that I'd avoided anything resembling stand-up for the next 15 years, until the horrible feeling this episode gave me finally wore off and I discovered that some stand-up is actually quite nice.
So... the pretty lame plot with Mr. Charming Rogue seemed really nice to me by comparison.
Sat, Apr 4, 2020, 7:20pm (UTC -5)
Same with the rating for this episode.
Fri, Apr 17, 2020, 9:32pm (UTC -5)
The whole episode I found pretty enjoyable. Reading many of the outraged posts above I found myself echoing Shakespeare's comment on the Puritans of his time "Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?"
It might not have been the greatest ale or the tastiest cake, but a pleasant enough diversion.
I was surprised to learn that the comedian was a real one - my assumption was that he was a parody, intended to be unfunny. Guinan's wordplay was equally unfunny, but the term "noid" strikes me as quite a good one. I can imagine it might catch on in a setting where non noids get together. Maybe on that planet where the synthetic people live in "Picard".
Sat, Jun 6, 2020, 6:35am (UTC -5)
Best moment of the episode was the Picard-Riker exchange about the lasers. The way they said “lasers” was great, like us saying some word from 200 years ago that we’d maybe vaguely heard of.
Two Worf thoughts as well. The sexism in this episode is so cringeworthy. Okana has been onboard for what, a few hours, and I believe they report he’s been in the quarters of four different crew members? Worf is the only character who seems to have a problem with this.
Also, I remember seeing a YouTube video that is a collection of clips where Worf offers advice and it’s rejected. When they first encounter Okana and decide to fix his ship, there is this brief exchange:
Worf: “Sir, recommend limited access to our ship.”
Picard: “Agreed.”
So a win for Worf! Then again, seeing as Okana, once onboard, seems to wander around seducing crew members at a fast clip, to the point they are not sure where he is when they want him, maybe this wasn’t really a win for Worf. Dang it!
Thu, Jun 11, 2020, 9:11pm (UTC -5)
It establishes that Data does understand humor, otherwise he would not be disappointed with the audience's lack of discernment as he hurls one tired one liner after another at them. It's a brilliant performance which recalls a Twilight Zone episide in which a failed comic gets his wish and is finally found to be funny ....no matter what and non stop.....Torture!
It's perfect how Data gradually loses enthusiasm and finally says "Audience program off."... followed by that poignant final shot of an empty comedy club with 5 tables with little lamps, and 16 vacant chairs. Worth rewatching.
4/9 but with special attributes!
Fri, Feb 26, 2021, 8:41pm (UTC -5)
#1 - Writers trying to write stand-up comedy is always, always, always TERRIBLE. Like, criminally bad. This episode was as painful an example of that as I can imagine. At no point in all of history has the Comedian's standup been funny. Especially the weird moment where he and Data are flailing around making noises with the fake teeth. I want to become violent with whoever wrote that scene.
#2 - Writers trying to write a successful womanizer. It's PAINFULLY obvious that the people who wrote Okana's seduction scenes had no fucking clue how you pick up a woman and as a result seem to subconsciously view the act of seducing a woman as magic or mind control or something. And I say this as a man with next to no game. Nobody who isn't performing for sold out stadiums can just walk up to a woman at a transportation station and say "You're attracted to me let's plow" as an opener.
The sad part is that Okana's character did win me over and is the sort of character I would have liked to have seen more from because a lot of TNG seems woefully lacking in individual characters with goals that are separate from whatever military service they're a part of. The ending was actually nice even if it was predictable.
Just...please for the love of God TV writers, stop writing stand-up and terrible PUAs.
Mon, Mar 1, 2021, 12:58pm (UTC -5)
That brings to me ask with a show about the progressive optimistic future why no gay characters?
Mon, May 17, 2021, 1:05pm (UTC -5)
One can always assume that if they did indeed fall pregnant and wanted to kill the fetus by aborting it, a trip through the transporter to a version of their previous non pregnant state would be the least messy.
Thu, Jun 10, 2021, 8:13am (UTC -5)
First, that review was a scream to read. :D Hehehehehe
Second, this ep has one of the most blaring, klaxon-like examples of Counselor Troi States The Blindingly Obvious, in its final scene:
COUNSELOR TROI
"Now we're hearing some truth."
I mean, when she says "What happened to all of the people" in S1's "The Arsenal of Freedom," that was kind of a whopper, but this takes the (android-shaped) cake. This is the dumbest line spoken by a regular cast member in the whole series, I think. I like to imagine that Picard slowly looks at her and starts a slow clap, and says "you sure graduated from Starfleet Academy, didn't you! Good job, Counselor! I'll tell you what, you are getting a gold star on your performance review!"
Just... wow, Deanna
Sat, Nov 6, 2021, 2:31pm (UTC -5)
Mon, Jan 3, 2022, 10:02pm (UTC -5)
(That, or Data picking out Joe freaking Piscopo as the funniest character of all time from his list. Oh Data, you sweet summer android.)
Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 10:57am (UTC -5)
And actually, now that I think about it, Data sitting at a piano singing Poisoning Pigeons in the Park to the stuffy Starfleet officers would have totally made this episode the best episode of all time.
Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 7:01pm (UTC -5)
Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 10:55pm (UTC -5)
Oh, and I'd totally dig a 23rd century version of Tom Lehrer. That would be awesome.
Wed, Jan 5, 2022, 10:56pm (UTC -5)
Thu, Jan 6, 2022, 3:20am (UTC -5)
With apologies to T. Lehrer "Who's Next" a 23rd century version....rough draft
First the Romies got the cloak, no hold no bar
'Cause they love the Praetor and the Tal Shiar
Then the Klingons got the cloak, and that's no myth
'Cause they swore it improved upon the old Bat'lith
'Who's next?...'
Ferengi want the cloak, but can't achieve
'Cause the latinum's trapped inside their sleeve
Dominion got the cloak, for their Jem'Hadar,
But extending to the Vorta was a bridge too far
'Who's next?...'
All I could manage at this hour. :)
Thu, Jan 6, 2022, 5:55pm (UTC -5)
Like what? The complete inability to make people laugh?
Thu, Mar 17, 2022, 2:10am (UTC -5)
Mon, Apr 11, 2022, 10:07am (UTC -5)
1. The teleporter operator chica: suh-MOKIN'!!!
2. Out of all the planets, all civilizations, and thousands of years, Data chooses a comedian from the 20th century, and the 1980s no less - mullet and everything. Color me shocked. Yawn.
3. O'Connor or whatever should have been wearing a varsity jacket. I mean, if you're going to do a super cliched college jock stereotype, why not go all out!
4. Whoopi Elaine Johnson? BARF! She was boring even back in the day, on my first watch of the show but having gotten to see her in public life over the past 7-8 years though, I now positively, absolutely can't stand her. Definitely skipped all the scenes with her.
5. The overall story is not too bad- a bit corny but who doesn't like good old maize!?
Mon, Apr 11, 2022, 11:10am (UTC -5)
"Some desultory thoughts--
1. The teleporter operator chica: suh-MOKIN'!!!"
I forget if she was the transporter 'chica', but Okona does pick up Teri Hatcher in the episode. So yeah, her being 'suh-mokin' is pretty much what defined her career afterward. You're not really being too controversial on that point. Actually I think you'd have to go pretty far in your remarks to be desultory in reviewing this episode. It does enough of a job of that on its own!
Wed, Jun 22, 2022, 9:01am (UTC -5)
The grumpy Picard was fun to watch. The laser threats were fun too.
I was watching Teri Hatcher. My wife was watching Bill Campbell.
Wesley's crush on the space rogue (I don't see it as gay, but I get why some people do) was another example of what a dud that character is. Wesley Learns A Valuable Lesson About Something That Seemed Enticing Originally, is a tired trope.
Rating: 2/4
Thu, Nov 17, 2022, 9:57pm (UTC -5)
Fri, Nov 18, 2022, 1:48pm (UTC -5)
Sat, Nov 19, 2022, 11:32am (UTC -5)
PICARD: Well, make it so, Number One. And reduce speed. Drop main shields as well.
RIKER: May I ask why, sir?
PICARD: In case we decide to surrender to them, Number One.
That's an EARNED laugh, flowing from the situation and established characterization. There's something low-key funny in these episodes where the subtext of Picard's performance seems to be Patrick Stewart thinking, "I wish I were doing something else right now."
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