Epic Star Trek Re-Watch - The Next Generation - Movie Week 2!

[Moggy]

The technology makes me laugh though, it's like they bought a load of Dell monitors in 2001 and thought "wow! These are almost flat screens, add some extra buttons and it will look like THE FUTURE!"

In fairness they were trying to balance a sci-fi look consistent with current day technology without necessarily trying to make it look more advanced than The Original Series, something Discovery made absolutely zero attempt to do (Infact Discovery goes out of it's way to abandon any semblance of remembering it's a prequel when it comes to in-universe technology)

It's not current day though, it's set 100 years in the future. I get they don't know what tech will exist in 100 years time, but they probably should have guessed that computer monitors might get a bit thinner.

[Cheeky Devlin]

I'm not sure I like Enterprise anywhere near as much as the others. There have been some good episodes, but a lot of them are very very average.

The technology makes me laugh though, it's like they bought a load of Dell monitors in 2001 and thought "wow! These are almost flat screens, add some extra buttons and it will look like THE FUTURE!"

Enterprise can be a tough watch. I bounced off it within 5 or 6 episodes the first few times I tried to watch it, but third time I stuck with it. It's easily the weakest of the shows from that era especially in it's first two seasons, but it gets better. Season 3 and 4 both try different things that help.

[Jenuall]

The technology makes me laugh though, it's like they bought a load of Dell monitors in 2001 and thought "wow! These are almost flat screens, add some extra buttons and it will look like THE FUTURE!"

In fairness they were trying to balance a sci-fi look consistent with current day technology without necessarily trying to make it look more advanced than The Original Series, something Discovery made absolutely zero attempt to do (Infact Discovery goes out of it's way to abandon any semblance of remembering it's a prequel when it comes to in-universe technology)

It's not current day though, it's set 100 years in the future. I get they don't know what tech will exist in 100 years time, but they probably should have guessed that computer monitors might get a bit thinner.

To be fair they are caught in a difficult position given TOS and TNG are comparatively set way in the future but actually the tech is still kind of dated because of when the shows were made. How can you pull back from 60s style reel to reel computers or TNG's chunky ass fake "laptops", which both looked hilariously antiquated by the end of the century, and yet still make something that feels like it's futuristic from the point of view of the contemporary audience?

I kind of think the Discovery approach of "strawberry float it, we'll just do what we want" is the better answer

[Moggy]

The technology makes me laugh though, it's like they bought a load of Dell monitors in 2001 and thought "wow! These are almost flat screens, add some extra buttons and it will look like THE FUTURE!"

In fairness they were trying to balance a sci-fi look consistent with current day technology without necessarily trying to make it look more advanced than The Original Series, something Discovery made absolutely zero attempt to do (Infact Discovery goes out of it's way to abandon any semblance of remembering it's a prequel when it comes to in-universe technology)

It's not current day though, it's set 100 years in the future. I get they don't know what tech will exist in 100 years time, but they probably should have guessed that computer monitors might get a bit thinner.

To be fair they are caught in a difficult position given TOS and TNG are comparatively set way in the future but actually the tech is still kind of dated because of when the shows were made. How can you pull back from 60s style reel to reel computers or TNG's chunky ass fake "laptops", which both looked hilariously antiquated by the end of the century, and yet still make something that feels like it's futuristic from the point of view of the contemporary audience?

I kind of think the Discovery approach of "strawberry float it, we'll just do what we want" is the better answer

I'm not criticising things dating, of course "the future!" in the 1960s would look a lot different

But with some things in Enterprise, it's like they didn't even bother trying to make them look futuristic. The monitors stand out to me every time they are shown. They should have at least set them into a wall and tried to make them look properly flat.

I know the TNG computer screens were massive, but they at least made it look like a design choice, rather than something they picked up at PC World.

[Jenuall]

Can't remember exactly where I got to with posting my thoughts, but I'll pick up with the 2 parter:

Gambit Parts I and II
We all obviously know it's not going to be the case that Picard is actually dead but even so I think they do a good job with the start of this episode setting up that scenario and showing how the others react to thinking it has happened.

Picard giving Riker a bit of roughing up to cement his position as trouble on the mercenary crew is fun, I bet he's been itching to give Will a slap for ages!

The eventual plot of the Vulcan psi-weapon which is defeated by just chilling out is all a bit bobbins in the end, but it's still a decent journey despite that weak ending. It was also strawberry floating obvious that the Vulcan is a baddie from the moment she comes on screen, Picard needs to get his bullshit meter tested!

Phantasms
Data's dream subprogram saves them from some weird phasic creatures which have invaded the ship thanks to a dodgy warp conduit - pretty lucky that he just unlocked that ability recently!

Kind of wish that Data's dreams were a bit more crazy than just eating a Troi cake and watching some blokes with pickaxe's hack up the ship, let yourself go man!

Also this is another case of a problem that could easily be avoided/detected earlier - they have loads of spare runtime on the ships computer and it doesn't scan for stuff like this, but it's clearly not that hard to detect so just make it scan for more stuff FFS!

Dark Page
Baby Mary Jane Watson turns up with her creepy AF father to help reveal a hidden secret from Lwaxana's past... yay? I do kind of like that they give us some kind of explanation for why Lwaxana is so strawberry floating overbearing as a mother beyond "she's just an asshole" and the eventual reveal of what happened to their first kid is quite well handled to tug at the heart strings, but overall it's still a bit of a duffer of an episode.

Attached
I'm a big fan of the Beverly and Picard relationship so this is always a winner of an episode for me, they're a really great pairing and the way their connection is explored over the series is excellent IMO.

The overarching plot of the planet trying to join the Federation whilst being strawberry floated up internally is a bit meh, especially as we've regressed to TOS era naming conventions as well - there are two factions the Kes and the Prytt so lets call the planet... KesPrytt!

[Cuttooth]

The Troi cake was pretty crazy to be fair.

[Lagamorph]

And someone sucking out Riker's brains through a straw. (Which coincidentally originally aired barely 3 weeks after the Red Dwarf episode Psirens)

[Jenuall]

And someone sucking out Riker's brains through a straw. (Which coincidentally originally aired barely 3 weeks after the Red Dwarf episode Psirens)

I think it was Beverly doing the sucking. Or was it the weather girl from channel 27?

Either way she was doing something impressive with her pointy stick!

[Cheeky Devlin]

[Cheeky Devlin]

Mixed bag this week. But it's got the absolute stinker that is Sub Rosa as well as the decent, spin-off inspiring Lower Decks.
Also, who knew Paulie was Worf's adoptive brother!

[Moggy]

Homeward

The prime directive makes sense from a political interference perspective. But it's bloody stupid when it's "let the whole planet die from a natural event!".

Bit of meh episode overall but saved by the interesting questions over when it is right or wrong to interfere with another culture.

Sub Rosa

I saw the IMDB rating for this episode before watching, so am expecting something really dreadful.

Ok I had to pause. I can buy an alien somehow wanting to be Scottish and living in a cosplay Scotland, but Crusher having "arousing" dreams over her grandmother's filthy diaries? Wtf?

"IT'S CURSED! I'LL BE BURYING ANOTHER HOWARD!" Ummm, the grandmother lived to 100, it's a really piss poor curse.

Every woman in the family for 800 years has been shagging the same rapey ghost?

Finished it now. It's safe to say this is a really gooseberry fool episode Really really gooseberry fool. How the strawberry float did that get made?

Lower Decks

Didn't recognise woman from the academy episode until it was made clear.

I was shocked that Picard was being (uncharacteristically) a complete arsehole to the woman. I was thinking that I bet he wouldn't have spoken to Wesley like that. And then I realised it was all part of a test, just before Worf confirmed it

A really good episode. It was great to see some of the crew who aren't the usual heroes. A great palate cleanser after the appalling episode before it.

But that ending. strawberry float me that was bleak. Right up until the credits I was expecting her to come back. Damn.

Thine Own Self

When I finish TNG, I will not miss Riker playing the trombone.

A good episode, although I fail to understand why Data can speak and remember all sorts of sciencey words, but had no clue what "radioactive" meant.

I do love an angry mob.

[site23]

Sub Rosa is the worst, but it's also amazing.

[Lagamorph]

Sub-Rosa is so out of place it almost makes Discovery look like it paid attention to canon.

[Cheeky Devlin]

[gaminglegend]

This rewatch is making me think I should try and give DS9 a go.

I know everybody raves about it, I tried a few episodes years ago, couldn’t get into the first series. Have seen some of the final season by chance when it’s been on TV but just hasn’t clicked the way TNG did.

[Cheeky Devlin]

This rewatch is making me think I should try and give DS9 a go.

I know everybody raves about it, I tried a few episodes years ago, couldn’t get into the first series. Have seen some of the final season by chance when it’s been on TV but just hasn’t clicked the way TNG did.

Perfect time for it mate.

We'll be starting it on Sunday 18th December after two weeks of TNG movies. 4/5 episodes a week and we'll get through the slow-going first two seasons quite quickly.

I actually think Season 1 and 2 stand up a little better on rewatches as you're able to recognise hints of what's to come.

[Moggy]

This rewatch is making me think I should try and give DS9 a go.

I know everybody raves about it, I tried a few episodes years ago, couldn’t get into the first series. Have seen some of the final season by chance when it’s been on TV but just hasn’t clicked the way TNG did.

As CD says, we'll be on DS9 soon, join in!

I actually think Season 1 and 2 stand up a little better on rewatches as you're able to recognise hints of what's to come.

[Cheeky Devlin]

This rewatch is making me think I should try and give DS9 a go.

I know everybody raves about it, I tried a few episodes years ago, couldn’t get into the first series. Have seen some of the final season by chance when it’s been on TV but just hasn’t clicked the way TNG did.

As CD says, we'll be on DS9 soon, join in!

I actually think Season 1 and 2 stand up a little better on rewatches as you're able to recognise hints of what's to come.

Not often enough sadly.

[Moggy]

Not often enough sadly.

[Cuttooth]

Did Gowron and Garak ever share enough screen time to do a glare off?