Wert's Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch - Part 2

[Werthead]

Continued.

So that's 6-and-a-half seasons in one thread and half a season in the other, which seems slightly unbalanced but what the hell?

715: Lower Decks

Some of the junior officers on the Enterprise are facing a staff appraisal and have to face their own insecurities when dealing with a secretive mission where all the interesting things are happening behind closed doors.

This is a pretty good episode. The "POV from the junior ranks" thing was briefly popular in SF shows of the period, although later SF shows like BSG, B5 and DS9 would mix things up with a greater variety of ranks and people in different positions. This episode does the premise justice with some great performances from the guest cast and some nuanced writing (the Cardassian/Bajoran conflict is given greater depth here in a few moments between Sito and the defector in the shuttlecraft than entire early episodes of DS9). Sito getting killed was a bit of an own goal, though, and she nearly came back in DS9 but the writers nixed it when realising it would hurt this episode's ending. Great stuff.

716: Thine Own Self

Data goes to a primitive planet to recover a crashed probe, but his memory is wiped in an accident. He wanders into a village in a daze and befriends the locals, but soon people start getting sick from the probe fragments. It falls to Data to work out what's going on. Meanwhile, Troi gets a promotion.

One of those forgettable episodes that's actually reasonably decent when watched again. Brent Spiner gives a really good performance and the Frankenstein remake elements are really nicely done (especially as the episode is not overt about it). The guest stars are also reasonable. The B-story about Troi is a bit of a head-scratcher - how does Troi get promoted to full Commander ahead of Data and LaForge? - but there's some good moments there, such as Troi ordering LaForge to sacrifice himself to save the ship in a drill (which is a bit of a pulled punch, but there you go). Overall, unexciting but okay.

[DaveSumm]

Can you imagine being an ensign on the bridge, under attack, the Captain and the Commander get knocked unconscious.....and TROI steps up? "Can't Data take over?! Or LaForge?!" "Nah, Troi killed Geordi once on the Holodeck so she's in charge."

I think it's the episode when Picard and Riker get left on the ship with holo-whats-her-face and Data immediately leaps to action when he finds out and says "Based on all available facts this is the correct course of action". That's the confidence you're looking for in a commander.

ETA: or maybe he has to order to abandon ship and it's another episode? I forget.

[Shryke]

That B-plot about Troi's promotion is excellent.

[Jaxom 1974]

I always figured that the whole scenario with Troi receiving a promotion ahead of LaForge and Data was due to her branch of the service.

I also suspect that neither Data or Geordi would go through such a test to get the promotion either.

[Bronn Stone]

IIRC, the test was to become 'bridge qualified'. The promotion was coincidental (or more likely, her punching the last item on the list of things she needed to be promoted).

[Shryke]

IIRC, the test was to become 'bridge qualified'. The promotion was coincidental (or more likely, her punching the last item on the list of things she needed to be promoted).

It was definitely the last bit of the qualification. They say somewhere in the episode as I remember that she's already passed everything else. It's only the "command certification" left.

[Aemon Stark]

I think my favourite aspect of Thine Own Self is Data's implacable reason and scientific mind - especially when he's questioning the tutor character's mediaeval elemental cosmology. His little radiation experiments are cool too.

I have to say that I don't really buy Troi in a command position. She got stuck in that role way back in Disaster, and while she managed to muddle through that one-off situation (referenced in this episode), she doesn't really have the cumulative experience or even training to take command. It's weird enough that Crusher does it - could you imagine McCoy pulling a night shift on the bridge or Bashir taking over Ops for a night? But then I suppose Janeway let Harry have the night shift now and then, so I guess anything is possible.

[drawkcabi]

I think my favourite aspect of Thine Own Self is Data's implacable reason and scientific mind - especially when he's questioning the tutor character's mediaeval elemental cosmology. His little radiation experiments are cool too.

I have to say that I don't really buy Troi in a command position. She got stuck in that role way back in Disaster, and while she managed to muddle through that one-off situation (referenced in this episode), she doesn't really have the cumulative experience or even training to take command. It's weird enough that Crusher does it - could you imagine McCoy pulling a night shift on the bridge or Bashir taking over Ops for a night? But then I suppose Janeway let Harry have the night shift now and then, so I guess anything is possible.

There was a fun book where Kirk got fed up with McCoy's griping and second guessing and put him in the chair and made him stay there while he went on a routine away mission...routine until he got down there, so it's McCoy stuck in command while the action is going on. Book was called "Doctor's Orders".

ETA:

I could imagine Bashir taking over ops post his genetic engineering reveal episode. And yeah I remember, it took until the 7th season I think but they actually had an episode of Voyager where Harry had command during the night shift. Of course he had to wake Janeway up during it...poor, dumb, Harry...

ETA 2:

And The Doctor's emergency command hologram alter program was pure awesome.

[dbunting]

I just recently watched both of these episodes for the 1st time. I also found the Troi promotion a little odd, but after 7 years some people have to move up in rank right!

I also liked Data doing his experiments, and showing up the teacher in the science class.

[Derfel Cadarn]

The Doctor's Emergency Command Hologram subroutine is one of the best things Voyager did, eapecially with his uniform changing to command-red and the four rank pips materialising.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

"Lower Decks" was very good, one of my top 5 best from Season 7. I wish DS9 had followed up on the fate of Sito Jaxa; seems like that would've been a good storyline to pursue back in the pre-Dominion days when they were fumbling about for story ideas.

There was a fun book where Kirk got fed up with McCoy's griping and second guessing and put him in the chair and made him stay there while he went on a routine away mission...routine until he got down there, so it's McCoy stuck in command while the action is going on. Book was called "Doctor's Orders".

ETA:

I could imagine Bashir taking over ops post his genetic engineering reveal episode. And yeah I remember, it took until the 7th season I think but they actually had an episode of Voyager where Harry had command during the night shift. Of course he had to wake Janeway up during it...poor, dumb, Harry...

ETA 2:

And The Doctor's emergency command hologram alter program was pure awesome.

Even worse was that horrible episode "Nightingale" where Harry commands a ship full of aliens for some reason I don't care enough to remember. Harry in command was never a concept that made a great deal of sense. Then again, neither did Harry the 7-year ensign. Hell, Nog on DS9 got a promotion to Lt. in what, 2 years?

The Doctor's Emergency Command Hologram subroutine is one of the best things Voyager did, eapecially with his uniform changing to command-red and the four rank pips materialising.

Yep, the ECH was pure genius. I think at first it was the Doctor's own fantasy idea from "Tinker Tenor Doctor Spy," then Janeway agreed to implement it as an actual program. Fun. :D

[Werthead]

717: Masks

The Enterprise encounters an ancient alien artifact which reconfigures the ship into a location where two deities can do battle.

A tedious premise is enlivened by Brent Spiner knocking it out of the park in having to place four different characters in one body, with some highly effective, taut direction. Some of the dialogue is a bit ropey and the final confrontation between the two 'gods' is lacklustre, but this is an episode that rises above its limitations to become reasonably watchable.

718: Eye of the Beholder

A hidden murder aboard the Enterprise when it was still under construction has a dramatic impact on the present.

This is an oddball episode featuring lots of Troi looking horrified into the middle distance to show that some Weird Shit Is Going Down. This is another episode that could have gone off the rails into crapdom, but some good performances, some nice writing moments (continuing the development of the Troi/Worf relationship is this odd roundabout manner is frustrating, but it also sort of works) and a creepy guest performance by Mark Rolston (Drake from Aliens, filming his role here at roughly the same time he was in Babylon 5) all sell the episode quite well.

719: Genesis

The crew devolve into lower forms of life in a manner that makes zero sense. Data fixes everyone with baby embryo cells, foreseeing stem cell research. Or something. Look, Barclay's a spider!

Genesis has a reputation for being one of the worst episodes of Star Trek ever made, which is really pretty harsh. There's at least a dozen worse TNG episodes, maybe more TOS ones, definitely a lot more worse Voyager eps and even DS9's sole nadir, Profit and Lace, is probably weaker than this. In fact, the first half of the episode is pretty good and Data and Picard's exploration of the adrift Enterprise is really well-played. It's only when Data utters the word "Devolving" that the quality falls off a cliff, and its transformation into pure bollock-shite is completed when Data tells Picard with a straight face that he is about to transform into a lemur or pygmy marmoset. The ending is insultingly perfunctory and all the build-up to Barclay-spider is wasted when he shows up and does nothing. So, still pretty crap, just not the total crap it is often reported as.

or Bashir taking over Ops for a night

During the Dominion War they showed Bashir as a highly effective combat medic, and not too shabby on the front lines either. He also manned a bridge station on the Defiant. I actually believe Bashir in that role far more than the other doctors.

[Aemon Stark]

I just recently watched both of these episodes for the 1st time. I also found the Troi promotion a little odd, but after 7 years some people have to move up in rank right!.

Tell that to Harry Kim!

(And yes Nightingale was awful.)

I do think Bashir would make a more credible than the likes of Crusher or Troi, but I also couldn't see him caring about command or administrative roles.

[Bronn Stone]

.... and even DS9's sole nadir, Profit and Lace

There is not a single episode of TNG so bad that I would not watch it in preference to Move Along Home or If Wishes Were Horses

[drawkcabi]

There is not a single episode of TNG so bad that I would not watch it in preference to Move Along Home or If Wishes Were Horses

I never thought "Genesis" was a bad episode, just silly, fun, and nonsensical. Comparing it to "Sub Rosa" or almost any episode of season 1 and it's miles ahead. To me a bad episode of Trek is when it's dull and boring like "Sub Rosa", and/or the characters come off as unappealing DS9 when they did have a bad episode seemed to specialize in the latter more than the former.

Tell that to Harry Kim!

(And yes Nightingale was awful.)

I do think Bashir would make a more credible than the likes of Crusher or Troi, but I also couldn't see him caring about command or administrative roles.

I definitely can see Bashir being indifferent towards command especially compared to medicine, but he'd be competent at it, more so than Crusher, Troi,or McCoy.

There is not a single episode of TNG so bad that I would not watch it in preference to Move Along Home or If Wishes Were Horses

I'd watch those episode before I'd watch again the aforementioned "Sub Rosa" and "Imaginary Friend", practically any episode of season 1 TNG. I'd watch these episodes also before I'd watch again DS9's "Profit and Lace" or "Let He Who Is Without Sin..."

Not to mention (yet I do) seasons 1 & 2 of Enterprise and maybe 50% of Voyager episodes.

[Jon AS]

There is not a single episode of TNG so bad that I would not watch it in preference to Move Along Home or If Wishes Were Horses

Seriously? I could see the argument that Profit and Lace vs. Code of Honor, Sub Rosa or Up the Long Ladder would be a matter of personal preference tolerance, but Move Along Home and If Wishes Were Horses are not on that same level of awfulness.

ETA:

"Let He Who Is Without Sin..."

Oh, this one deserves to be on a "most awful Trek episodes"* list.

*Limited to good Trek series, else the list is just going to get depressingly long.

[drawkcabi]

ETA:

Oh, this one deserves to be on a "most awful Trek episodes"* list.

*Limited to good Trek series, else the list is just going to get depressingly long.

All you do to make the list is disqualify season 1 of TNG, seasons 1&2 of Enterprise and any Voyager episode not about The Doctor or Seven of Nine for all ready being a given that they're bad.

After that you're just rooting out the not as many remaining bad apples from the bunch.

[Bronn Stone]

I stand by the statement. Bring on Ryker's clipshow nightmare before I ever hear "It's just a gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamee..."

I think the little girl playing Isabel in Imaginary Friend so creepy that I actually enjoy that one. Up The Long Ladder is dreadful, but still not as brain-grinding as random wishing. Not only would I force myself to watch Ladder over IWWH, I'd wash Ryker's nasty feet myself to avoid the latter.

Frankly, the two worst seasons of ANY Trek are IMO S1 of DS9 and S1 of Voyager. Worse than Enterprise S1, worse than ToS S3, heck probably worse than the cartoon, though I haven't rewatched that in decades.

[drawkcabi]

S1 DS9 had it's problems, and some bad episodes, but it also had "Duet", one of the best episodes of any Star Trek series of any season. But not only that, amid the stinkers, which I personally still find better than anything in S1 TNG and everything else I listed, were some solid episodes besides Duet. The pilot, "Progress", "In the Hands of the Prophets". I also like the Ferengi episodes (aside from Prophet and Lace) and I liked The Nagus as a good introduction to that arc of the series.

But I get it that it's all to each their own. Just my preferences.

[DaveSumm]

I'm a big TNG fan but I'd have to rank its first season lower than any other trek series. It doesn't even feel like TNG most of the time, the tone and characters took much longer to bed in than TOS, DS9, Voyager & Enterprise.