Ah yes, Dixon Hill's first episode. Though some of it is rather ridiculous, this is a fun episode. I also find it interesting to see the counselor and captain studying for greeting the Jarada, an insect race with particular preferences on language usage.
Data's from South America--can't you tell? And I love the shots in silhouette through the windows to Dixon Hill's office.
Silly, but this one earns a Good in my book.
2011/08/10
ST: TNG S01E11 "Haven"
This is the episode where Deanna narrowly avoids an arranged marriage, and the one where we meet her mother. "I should warn you sir. My mother is a little...eccentric." The one, the only, Lwaxana Troi, played by Majel Barrett who later takes on the role of the computer voice for the Enterprise. I'm also a fan of Carel Struycken who here plays Mr. Homn, Lwaxana's assistant, but who has also appeared in Ewoks: Battle for Endor (and, yes, I love that movie), The Addams Family, and Babylon 5.
Though the angst is Bad, as is the big hair and clothing of the plague-ridden Tarellians, I can never help but love the wacky hijinks that ensue in Lwaxana episodes, though she taxes one's patience. Plus this introduces the idea of the Betazoid wedding--where all attendees are naked. This one definitely earns a So Bad It's Good.
Though the angst is Bad, as is the big hair and clothing of the plague-ridden Tarellians, I can never help but love the wacky hijinks that ensue in Lwaxana episodes, though she taxes one's patience. Plus this introduces the idea of the Betazoid wedding--where all attendees are naked. This one definitely earns a So Bad It's Good.
ST: TNG S01E10 "Hide and Q"
Q is back, this time to tempt Riker to join the Continuum. He is interested in playing games, even putting Tasha in a penalty box. I realize he's a key feature of Next Gen, and he grew on me, but overall, I find Q annoying with his interference.
Primarily though, this episode is annoying simply because Riker would never behave so arrogantly as he does here. It's so out of character and forced, and yes this is season one and they're still feeling out the characters, but really? As Data quotes in the episode, "This above all; to thine own self be true." This episode earns a Bad in my book.
Primarily though, this episode is annoying simply because Riker would never behave so arrogantly as he does here. It's so out of character and forced, and yes this is season one and they're still feeling out the characters, but really? As Data quotes in the episode, "This above all; to thine own self be true." This episode earns a Bad in my book.
2011/07/25
ST: TNG S01E09 "The Battle"
Another Ferengi episode, but as characters they haven't been developed more here yet than when we first saw them.
There is some nice interaction between first officers that is quite fruitful, but other than that, this is a very weak mind-control episode, and I'm just not a fan. It earns a Bad.
There is some nice interaction between first officers that is quite fruitful, but other than that, this is a very weak mind-control episode, and I'm just not a fan. It earns a Bad.
2011/07/23
ST: TNG S01E08 "Justice"
Here again is an episode I'm not entirely sure what to do with. Wesley breaks an unknown rule on a planet they visit and is sentenced to death which the Enterprise cannot allow, but acting violates the Prime Directive (I know, I know, it would have been a less annoying series without him, but they have a point).
There is a lot of silliness and some things simply don't add up--namely, that they would be visiting a pre-warp society in the first place given the Prime Directive. Still, bad as that may be, the concept is interesting and worth analyzing when it comes to citizens of one group visiting another and the potential consequences and how to seek peaceful relations. There's a very good quote where Data asks Picard if one life is worth 1000, and Picard responds that he will not make this a matter of arithmetic.
As much as it pains me, I'm going to call this one Good.
There is a lot of silliness and some things simply don't add up--namely, that they would be visiting a pre-warp society in the first place given the Prime Directive. Still, bad as that may be, the concept is interesting and worth analyzing when it comes to citizens of one group visiting another and the potential consequences and how to seek peaceful relations. There's a very good quote where Data asks Picard if one life is worth 1000, and Picard responds that he will not make this a matter of arithmetic.
As much as it pains me, I'm going to call this one Good.
ST: TNG S01E07 "Lonely Among Us"
We still can't move beyond silly dress uniforms, evidently, no matter how futuristic the society. Here we have to transport delegates from two races, one furry and one reptilian, but get waylaid by an accidentally acquired alien that hops from body to body via the ship circuitry and wants to go home.
"Something was afoot." We get our first look at Data as Sherlock Holmes, pipe included, which is fantastic, although any time Data acts "more human" he becomes quite arrogant (though I've heard that could just be more "Brent Spiner" given that it's similar to Lore and many of his other roles). We also get an interesting discussion of "mutiny".
While I love the Data scenes, and the real problems of shuttling delegates that hate and want to eat each other make for some easy comedy in the So Bad It's Good department, I'm afraid this one tips the scales into Bad if nothing else than due to the ridiculous finale involving the Captain. Supposedly of his own choosing (which does not fit the character anymore than the episode "Hide and Q" where Riker becomes an arrogant Q) Picard is beamed into space as energy, is found to be incompatible with the aliens, moves his energy back into the computer, and is rematerialized from that using his saved transporter pattern (even though we later can't do something similar with Moriarty in "Ship in a Bottle", but I'm getting ahead of myself). Bad.
"Something was afoot." We get our first look at Data as Sherlock Holmes, pipe included, which is fantastic, although any time Data acts "more human" he becomes quite arrogant (though I've heard that could just be more "Brent Spiner" given that it's similar to Lore and many of his other roles). We also get an interesting discussion of "mutiny".
While I love the Data scenes, and the real problems of shuttling delegates that hate and want to eat each other make for some easy comedy in the So Bad It's Good department, I'm afraid this one tips the scales into Bad if nothing else than due to the ridiculous finale involving the Captain. Supposedly of his own choosing (which does not fit the character anymore than the episode "Hide and Q" where Riker becomes an arrogant Q) Picard is beamed into space as energy, is found to be incompatible with the aliens, moves his energy back into the computer, and is rematerialized from that using his saved transporter pattern (even though we later can't do something similar with Moriarty in "Ship in a Bottle", but I'm getting ahead of myself). Bad.
ST: TNG S01E06 "Where No One Has Gone Before"
A Wesley-saves-the-day episode. Not only that, a Wesley-has-a-destiny episode.
We do get to see "where none have gone before," a place where thought is powerful, but between the annoying sham specialist and the Traveler's interest in Wesley's (now acting ensign) potential, I just do not like this one at all.
Maybe it has some legitimate aspects, but I can't see through my bias and dislike, so this one earns a Bad in my book.
We do get to see "where none have gone before," a place where thought is powerful, but between the annoying sham specialist and the Traveler's interest in Wesley's (now acting ensign) potential, I just do not like this one at all.
Maybe it has some legitimate aspects, but I can't see through my bias and dislike, so this one earns a Bad in my book.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)