The Star Trek question thread

[Jeyl]

Yeah, but it is still a fun episode.

Problem is that the fun parts don't start until the very end when they realize what they have to do in order to leave. That's not entirely worth sitting through 3/4s of an episode where all our characters do is walk around confused. And anything this episode did that was 'fun' was done a lot better in other works, including in the Star Trek franchise itself. Does "A Piece of the Action" ring any bells? That classic TOS episode takes the Aliens rebuilding 20th century Earth technology and made it a lot more fun without any of the stupid. And even with Data doing his schtick at the end, I would take any episode where he simply deals cards during any of crews' card games. Those were more fun than this.

And one other thing about this episode that I forgot to mention that is so awesome. The rotating door. If your rotating door is going at the same exact speed throughout the shot, why not take advantage of that and do some clever editing trick so that when one character walks in, you can immediately see them coming from the opposite side. Having them go through the whole rotation and being dumbfounded when they end up where they started is basically watching actors act around a visual effect that doesn't exist.

And when your episode has your characters asking "Why?" and we end with Picard saying "Like Fermat's Theorem. We may never know." THAT is when you realize your writer doesn't give a crap about anything.

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5,000 posts! I 'am' the American Dream!

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

They needed a bit tighter proofreading for Science and Navigation for Dummies in the TNG/DS9/VOY era. Bearings and headings should never have any numbers higher than 359 -- and the number after the 'mark' should never be in the 91-269 range. Id est, if something's at 120 mark 205, trace those two circles in your head and you'll see that it's actually at 290 mark 335. Azimuth to as close as you can in that plane, then elevation the rest of the way. Not azimuth to the diametrically opposite point, then elevation to get you all the way back round to where you should have been looking in the first place.

Also, I'd like to revise my earlier about swimming facilities. I don't know where my brain was at. Main Sickbay facilities and the gymnasiums are all on deck 12. Either of which would explain why that woman was on that deck and in that vicinity. Also, I doubt it had anything to do with it, but the Cetacean Ops areas are on decks 13 and 14. She might have been associated with that, but physical therapy or recreational swimming is more likely.

Also, there are sixteen holodecks, in three different sizes, with eight of them (the smallest size) adjacent to the gyms. So even if that's what they use for swimming, I don't think allocation is much of an issue.

--Jonah

 

[jarroth]

the Doctor in Voyager gets a mobile emitter centuries ahead of time. why did the thing turn into a 29century borg drone, but the doc still stays at same technology level?

i mean he is uploaded into the emitter. over the time he is activated before the mobile emitter he learns how to diagnose alot more than a broken bone. seems bit off to me he isnt able to learn from the 29th century emitter and improve himself alot.

 

[DuneMuadDib]

It'd be like putting a Windows 95 version of Solitaire on a modern computer, the better tech doesn't improve the software running on it. The Borg repurpose the hardware, you can MacGyver a better piece of tech out of a modern day computer than something 20 years old.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Also, I'd like to revise my earlier about swimming facilities. I don't know where my brain was at. Main Sickbay facilities and the gymnasiums are all on deck 12. Either of which would explain why that woman was on that deck and in that vicinity. Also, I doubt it had anything to do with it, but the Cetacean Ops areas are on decks 13 and 14. She might have been associated with that, but physical therapy or recreational swimming is more likely.

Also, there are sixteen holodecks, in three different sizes, with eight of them (the smallest size) adjacent to the gyms. So even if that's what they use for swimming, I don't think allocation is much of an issue.

--Jonah

Ok good. I'd hate to have to wait for Ensign Sticky to finish Holoporn #16,596 before I could workout. :lol

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

Ok good. I'd hate to have to wait for Ensign Sticky to finish Holoporn #16,596 before I could workout. :lol

Given we saw Riker enjoying a hologram of two beautiful women... playing harps*... in the privacy of his own quarters, I'd say that sort of activity is attended to not in the public spaces.

[* Seriously, WTF (scroll past the opening commentary and you'll see just what I mean)?]

--Jonah

 

[Jeyl]

Ah, Haven. You ever hear of that good old Star Trek writing trope where they would feature a high ranking character who was so incredibly dumb that their sole purpose was to make the main character look smart by comparison? They usually restricted them to one-shot characters who would normally never be seen again. This episode decided to try that trope out with a character who was on the main cast.

*A ship carrying a dangerous plague approaches Haven*
Tasha: I'm certain I could disable their ship with a phaser burst, Captain.
Picard: And then, Lieutenant?​

...their ship will stop moving and won't endanger Haven? Of course Yar doesn't say that. She instead just stands there in total silence. Thankfully Picard has a plan.

Picard: Ready the tractor beam, Lieutenant Yar. Target the ship. Activate on my command.
Tasha: Tractor beam ready.
Picard: Engage.
Tasha: Got them, sir.​

And with that, we have the answer to why Denise Crosby left Star Trek: The Next Generation. Being the head of security and tactical operations onboard the flagship of the Federation, she forgets that the Enterprise has a ship stopping tractor beam. Picard doesn't even let her in on it so he can show how awesome and clever he is for thinking of the flipping obvious. He doesn't even tell the leader of Haven he was going to do this even when she was panicking and pleading with him to do something. Because if there's one way to handle a potentially planet wide crises situation is to keep the leader in the dark and give no indication that you're going to help at all.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

Yeah... The first half of TNG's first season was kinda atrocious. "Justice", for all its faults, was the first episode that showed Picard actually asking his officers for advice, and listening. And not getting snippy if they didn't feed him the answer(s) he wanted.

--Jonah

 

[0neiros]

Yet they were all better than Shades of Gray. Speaking of which, how about a 50 Shades of Gray with Riker and Troi. Troi is infected and they have to use the bad memories of what Riker has done to her in his Holo Dungeon to purge the virus.

 

[jarroth]

i wouldnt mind to having Troi in a dungeon and purge the virus.

erm, what is the right color for enterprise?

 

[Jeyl]

Yet they were all better than Shades of Gray.

When you take the works of Maurice Hurley into account, Shades of Gray becomes way more tolerable. He may have given us the Borg, but holy heck. He gave us alien rape, main characters complimenting one another for letting little girls die, Picard bragging about how humanity will become godlike and our enlightened heroes talking non-stop about how simple 20th century humans are so irredeemable. I was SHOCKED when Michael Okuda called Maurice Hurley "the unsung hero of Star Trek". He's unsung for a freaking reason!

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Seriously, what is going on with these updated doubles?

 

[MooCriket]

Interesting Q & A with Sir Patrick about Roddenberry not originally wanting him for the role.
http://trekmovie.com/2017/08/04/stl...rrys-strong-opposition-of-his-picard-casting/

 

[The Wook]

Has anyone here watched the 1973-74 Star Trek Animated Series? I've never seen an episode. All I know is that Shatner and Nimoy and some others from TOS provided the voices. I'm generally not an animation guy...I much prefer live-action. But I'm wondering if the series is any good?

No spoilers, please. Thanks.

The Wook

 

[MooCriket]

Q

Has anyone here watched the 1973-74 Star Trek Animated Series? I've never seen an episode. All I know is that Shatner and Nimoy and some others from TOS provided the voices. I'm generally not an animation guy...I much prefer live-action. But I'm wondering if the series is any good?

No spoilers, please. Thanks.

The Wook

Yeah Bro, do yourself a favor and watch. It's a bit cheesy, with a distinctive 70's vibe...but fun. There's a handfull of episodes that are good enough, that they should be considered canon.

 

[The Wook]

Yeah Bro, do yourself a favor and watch. It's a bit cheesy, with a distinctive 70's vibe...but fun. There's a handfull of episodes that are good enough, that they should be considered canon.

Okay, I will.

Those handful of episodes you say are good enough to be considered canon...do you think they'd pass this test?

Let's say, a guy like me, who's been watching TOS since the early 70s, but never watched any of these animated episodes, was told there were a handful of TOS episodes that never aired, but that only the audio existed. And then you gave this guy those handful of canon-worthy animated episodes, but only the audio. After listening to them, would he believe they are lost TOS episodes?

The Wook

 

[MooCriket]

Okay, I will.

Those handful of episodes you say are good enough to be considered canon...do you think they'd pass this test?

Let's say, a guy like me, who's been watching TOS since the early 70s, but never watched any of these animated episodes, was told there were a handful of TOS episodes that never aired, but that only the audio existed. And then you gave this guy those handful of canon-worthy animated episodes, but only the audio. After listening to them, would he believe they are lost TOS episodes?

The Wook

Good question. I'd say YES. Around ten episodes would pass the STIQ test for sure!

 

[The Wook]

Good question. I'd say YES. Around ten episodes would pass the STIQ test for sure!

Wow, 10 out of 22 pass the STIQ test? Alright, I'm definitely gonna watch.

Thanks,

The Wook

 

[Treadwell]

Mind you, there are a handful of cringey episodes.
And the animation is very limited----even by 70s TV standards!
But the good ones are... well, good!

 

[The Wook]

Mind you, there are a handful of cringey episodes.

That's okay. Lol There are a handful of cringey TOS episodes, too. (Plato's Stepchildren, The Squire of Gothos, And The Children Shall Lead, Miri, etc.)

But the good ones are... well, good!

Cool. Gonna watch episode 1 tonight!

The Wook

 

[Apollo]

That Sir is a "Shat-Moment" CLASSIC!

I can't even begin to describe the laughter George and the smirk Walter had when Alexander mounts and rides Kirk, hell even The Actor laughed it was so funny

That's okay. Lol There are a handful of cringey TOS episodes, too. (Plato's Stepchildren, k