Menu
What's new
Troll Kingdom

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Wacky Reviews: Star Trek

I remember thinking "is Ron Glass in this episode?" before I started watching it then finding it was a different black Ron!
 
I'm pretty sure I saw Ron Glass naked in a pack of old porn playing cards, I'm assuming it was from before Barney Miller.
 
Conundrum - Data loses at 3D chess to Troi. Seems unlikely, really, but I guess that computer lost to that Russian guy once or something! Riker and Ro have an argument. A mysterious ship scans the Enterprise and everyone loses their memory! Some weird guy with Commander rank appears on the Bridge but nobody thinks it's odd because they can't remember anything (except they still remember how to work the ship.) Everyone tries to figure out who they are. Worf thinks he might be the Captain, since he has that big sash. He gets the ship ready to fight. Picard kind of naturally takes the lead anyway. Riker and Ro start flirting with each other, which feels fun and natural. Data assumes he's the bartender since he was serving Troi a drink when their memories were wiped. Troi is also attracted to Riker. Who wouldn't be! Geordi finds the crew manifest and they finally know who everyone is. The previously unseen guy is first officer MacDuff. I suspect he's up to something! The computer says the Enterprise is at war with an alien race and can't call home because they've snuck into their space.

Troi again tells Riker that she senses he feels familiar and that they have a history. Just tell him you want to sleep with him! Despite this, Ro shows up in Riker's quarters and they sleep together. I mean, I'd pick Ro over Troi too, but it's a bit cold of Riker. The Enterprise encounters a warship of thier so called enemy but finds that they're pretty weak. But they fire on the Enterprise and Picard somewhat reluctantly destroys them (with MacDuff's encouragement.) Data and Geordi speculate on Data's origins. Troi goes to see Riker again and they nearly kiss. Riker finds a book she gave him once and obviously knows they at least used to be lovers. Then he sleeps with Ro again right after Troi leaves the room. That Riker! Crusher comes up with a way to restore their memories but MacDuff foils her. Picard talks to MacDuff about how he's struggling with the war but MacDuff tells him they have to end the war to save more lives. MacDuff tells Worf that Picard is a coward who could cause the Federation to lose the war and he expects Worf to do the right thing. They reach the alien homeworld and easily get through their defences. The aliens are so weak that the Enterprise could easily destroy their central commad (which is the Edo God from 'Justic'!) but Picard won't fire because memory or not he's still Picard. Worf sides with Picard and MacDuff hits him. MacDuff's true alien nature is revealed. Crusher gets everyone their memories back. MacDuff was an alien whose species weren't advanced enough to win their war but they have the power to erase memories and get others to fight for them. Riker has an awkward encounter with Ro and Troi in Ten Forward.

It's a fun episode, which is what TNG needs right now! The best part is when everyone is trying to figure out who they are and they all act like their old selves anyway despite having no memories. The story with MacDuff is a bit weird, of course. Why didn't he just make himself Captain instead of First Officer? How did his species manage to have such powerful memory erasing technology but really crappy weapons? But you can just ignore that and have a good time!

SCORE: 8/10
 
Power Play - The Enterprise finds the site of a Federation starship that went missing two hundred years ago. Troi senses life so Riker, Troi and Data go down on a shuttle (due to weird energy stuff) to investigate. The shuttle crashes and Riker breaks his arm. There's also a weird energy storm on the planet. This episode is all about weird energy. O'Brien (the real hero) has to beam down and save them with pattern enhancers. But they're all knocked out and weird energy things fly into O'Brien, Troi and Data. It soon becomes clear that something is wrong with the three of them. O'Brien shoots everyone on the Bridge, for one thing. Worf nearly stops them but the three of them manage to take hostages in Ten Forward after a dramatic shoot-out (somebody goes through a table!) Oh, they all have super strength now by the way. Keiko just happens to be in Ten Forward with little Molly. They want the ship moved to the polar region of the planet. In classic Star Trek fashion, Crusher concludes that Riker wasn't possessed because he was in pain due to his broken arm, so causing paint to O'Brien, Troi and Data will get rid of whoever is possessing them.

Picard lets himself be taken hostage in Ten Forward. Troi reveals that she's really the Captain of the missing starship and has been disembodied for two hundred years. She claims they had to violently take control of the ship because she knew Picard would never believe in ghosts. Seems logical! Geordi and Ro hide out in the tubes preparing to zap everyone with a pain beam or something. The one possessing O'Brien bullies Keiko for fun. Evil Data makes Picard choose who shold die: Worf or Keiko. That's a pretty easy choice! Ro and Geordi only manage to knock out O'Brien and Troi so Data chokes PIcard until they give up. So that was a waste of time! Some more stuff happens and they all go to the cargo bay. O'Brien doing a little jog is fun. Troi finally reveals that they're all actually prisoners and they're going to transport all the other prisoners up to the ship to take everyone's bodies. Picard outsmarts them and everyone is free again. Hurray! Molly O'Brien gets to be the closing shot of the episode.

It's a watchable episdoe, but nothing special. There isn't really much to say about it. Troi. O'Brien and Data acting evil is fun, Picard being smart is good, there's nothing bad about it really. It's fine!

SCORE: 7.5/10
 
I remember Troi saying that she broke her tailbone (or as she seductively called it, COCCYX) while doing her own stunts when they all were thrown to the ground on the planet. (It's at 15:29 in the video if it doesn't start there automatically)

 
Ethics - A big cargo container thing falls right on Worf's back. He wakes thinking Crusher has put a restraining field on him because he can't move, but Crusher tells him he's actualy paralysed. A specialist surgeon named Doctor Russell comes onboard to help. There's not much information on Klingon neuro surgery since they usually just let cripples die. Riker goes to see Worf to cheer him up but Worf asks him to help him die. Riker doesn't want to but Worf asks him sincerely. Doctor Russell gives some exposition about Klingon bodies having "unnecessary reduncies" (they double up all of their organs) which will be important later! She has a new type of replicator that can grow a new spinal column for Worf, but she's never used it on a humanoid before. It has a 37% success rate on holograms! Crusher doesn't want to let her use it because it's too risky. Riker is upset that Worf would ask him to assist his suicide (I always hate it when friends ask me to do that!) but Picard rationally explains why Worf feels the way he does and says he can't intervene. It's a good Star Trek scene! This episode has been very good so far but unfortunately Alexander shows up with his bad acting here. Thought to be fair he says "Klingons have a lot of dumb ideas about honour" which is true. Crusher has a treatment which could possibly restore up to 60% of Worf's mobility with enough time and with implants installed. This isn't good enough for Worf, naturally. So Russell tells him about her radical treatment, against Crusher's wishes. Crusher accues her of using Worf's desperation so she can finally test her technique on a humanoid. It's more good drama! Then Worf falls over in front of Alexander and shouts at him to leave.

Russell uses another experimental tehcnique on a patient and Crusher relieves her of duty, but Picard tells her to let Russell use her transporter thing on Worf because at least it'll give him more of a chance than suicide. Crusher is outraged and wants Worf to accept that he's disabled. Picard argues that Worf can't just go against his Klingon beliefs. Again, this is a very good Star Trek scene! They both have fair points of view and argue them well. Riker goes to Worf and tells him he respects Worf's beliefs but doesn't like them. He talks about all the other officers who fought for life until the end, including Tasha (she actually died instantly but it's nice that she was mentioned.) He says he's been studying Klingon tradition and it would actually be Worf's oldest son's responsibility to assist his suicide, not Riker's. Well played, Riker! Worf tells Alexander about the Klingon ritual and that he wants his help...to live with his condition. Aww. Worf is going ahead with Russell's procedure and asks Troi to raise Alexander if he dies. Crusher and Russell (and Ogawa!) carry out the operation but something goes wrong and Worf DIES. That's right, the character of Worf will no longer be appearing in Star Trek: The Next Generation because he's dead. Crusher even tells Alexander, BUT THEN Worf comes back to life! Yes those "unnecessary reduncies" did turn out to be important! Russell goes to Crusher wanting thanks for curing Worf's paralysis, but Crusher says just because she got lucky this time doesn't mean others won't die and she should spend more time on research. Worf learns how to walk again and Alexander helps him.

This is a much better episode than I remembered! I mean I thought it wasn't bad before, but it turned out to be a damn good character episode. I think that's the strength of TNG, the characters. Michael Dorn hasn't had much of an opportunity to act lately as Worf's become a bit one note, but he delivers here. Crusher and Riker get strong stuff too, and even though Patrick Stewart's really only in two scenes he's great as always in both. Even Alexander doesn't drag it down. Strong stuff.

SCORE: 9/10
 
The Outcast - The Enterprise are contacted by an androgynous race (which Picard makes sure to note in his log!) for help finding a shuttle. Things are going missing "null space" and Riker (for some reason, wouldn't a science officer have made more sense?) works with one of their specialists (Soren) to find the missing shuttle. Riker asks Soren what the correct pronoun is to use. It's really clear that the character is being played by a woman, by the way. They talk more about gender stuff with Riker asking questions like "who leads when you dance?" It seems like they're supposed to be flirting, maybe. Riker and Soren go off in a shuttle (I guess Riker's supposed to be the best pilot and that's why he's with her) and Riker explains sex to her. She tells him that gender is offensive to her peoplem as they evolved beyond it centuries ago. Soren asks Crusher about make-up. There's a poker game where Troi gives us the date of the Federation's founding (2161) and Worf says something sexist. He doesn't think a human and an androgynous race could have a relationship either. Soren tells Riker she finds him attractive and she thinks she might be a girl, even though it's illegal on her planet. She's had relationships with "males" of her species before and has had to live a lie, but she wants a life with Riker where she can be honest. That's nice for her but so far in the episode there hasn't actually been much sign that Riker is attracted to her in the same way.

Riker and Soren rescue the people from null space. There's a party after and they kiss. Riker gets Troi's blessing to date Soren, but when he goes to Soren's quarter he finds that she's been arrested for being a girl. Riker goes to Soren's hearing and tries to take the blame for making inappropriate moves on her, but Soren says that's not true. She makes a big speech about how it's okay to be female and she's not sick and doesn't need to be cured. This is a good scene IN THEORY but it's really hurt by Soren's monotone delivery. It should be a big rousing moment but there's hardly any emotion to it at all. He people aren't impressed and want to take her for treatment. Riker offers to give her asylum on the Enterprise but they insist she needs cured. Picard gently warns Riker not to put his career at risk to save Soren, but doesn't exactly stop him either. Worf comes to Riker and says as his friend he will not let Riker face danger alone. It's a very nice moment, following up what happened in the previous episode (would be nice if Worf was still struggling to walk though.) Riker rescues Soren but it's already too late: she's been converted. She doesn't want to be a girl anymore and won't come with Riker. It's a sad ending and I do appreciate those, but it's a shame that the only LGBT character in Trek history (to this point) doesn't get a happy ending like, say, that alien who was evolving into Jesus got.

It's an episode with good intentions. But you could say the same about that season one episode about drugs. This isn't as bad as that, thankfully, but it's hurt by the Soren character herself. She just pretty dull! It's like they thought an androgynous alien would have to talk in a boring voice and not show much emotions. It's pretty hard to believe Riker fell for her so quickly. The attitude towards gender and sex feels pretty old fashioned too, even for 1992. It's a gay metaphor episode, but when Riker's taking about gender roles to Soren it's like gay people don't exist in the 24th century. He only talks about completely stereotypical stuff like who leads in a dance (and Crusher talks about make-up) which it's impossible to think would still be a concenr in the 24th century. It's pretty weird and unfortunate. But Frakes does do some good acting, I do like that the episode tried to tackle an important subject and Worf and Picard being bros to Riker is nice.

SCORE: 5.5/10
 
Cause and Effect - The Enterprise explodes! Everyone's dead! Ro's hair is different! That's the pre credits scenes. It's a heck of a teaser. But then everything's normal again after the titles. They're playing poker and making jokes about Data stacking the deck. But then Crusher gets a case of deja vu when treating Geordi and hears weird voices when she's trying to sleep. What's going on? Some kind of TIME LOOP? Then another ship comes out of a distortion and crashes into the Enterprise, destroying it like in the teaser. Yep, it's a time loop! We go through the poker game again and this time Riker predicts that Crusher will call his bluff. Crusher goes to Picard to tell him something weird is going on. Picard says he'll investigate but then the other ship appears and kills everyone again. Just how are they going to get out of this crazy situation?

The next time the poker games happens, Crusher, Riker and Worf manage to predict the cards Data will deal. So this time Crusher can go to Picard with her concerns earlier than before and they can investigate it for longer. Geordi's VISOR has been picking up strange afterimages and Crusher manages to record the strange voices she was hearing. Data investigates them as the voices of the Enterprise crew. Geordi explains the time loop they're trapped in. They still don't know how to avoid the crash that will inevitably kill them and trigger the loop again. Data comes up with a way to send an "echo" into the next loop (yes it's done with technobabble but it's explained in a way that isn't too confusing.) The other ship shows up and hits the Enterprise, but Data manges to send his "echo" just in time. The loop starts over and every card Data deals is a "three." Everyone has super deja vu this time and they work out the time loop again and the fact that Data has sent himself a message. When the other ship is about to hit them this time, Data realises the number "three" refers to the number of pips Riker wears and tells Picard to use Riker's suggestion on avoiding the collision (Picard has used Data's suggestion every other time because he thinks robots are smarter than Riker, I guess.) The Enterprise finally escapes the loop (they were trapped for 17 days) and we get to meet the Captain of the other ship. It's Kelsey "Frasier" Grammer and he's from eighty years in the past. Oops!

This one is a total science fiction story, which TNG hasn't done since...well, it's been a long time! They've been having the sci-fi plot as the b-story to the character based plot a lot, so this is a nice change. And it's a great epiosde! I think everyone thinks of it as the "Groundhog Day episodeE but this episode actually came a year before Groundhog Day's release. I'm not saying Brannon Braga invented the time loop story (a look at Google says he didn't) but it's certainly the first time a popular tv show did one (I think!) and every show's done one in the twenty five years since. So credit to Braga for coming up with something that hadn't been done (like this anyway) before and credit for just a brilliantly crafted episode of tv. There will be many more episodes of Star Trek that use the ship exploding for dramatic value (then undo it later) but none will ever have the impact of this one again. The only complaint I've heard from people is that if Fraiser was trapped in the loop for eighty ears as is implied, how come his crew didn't figure it out by now? But maybe the time distortion effected his ship differently and just plucked them into the future, rather than having them loop for eight years (or his crew are just really dumb.)

SCORE: 10/10
 
Well the only reason the Enterprise was able to escape their time loop was because they could use Data to send a small bit of information through into the next loop, breaking it. The Bozeman presumably couldn't do anything like that.

BUT YEAH this is a really good episode and although Discovery did an episode that was a nice twist on it, it pales next to the original.
 
I never got the impression that the Bozeman was trapped for 80 years, I think it was only in the loop for as long as the enterprise.

It had travelled through time accidentally, then rammed the enterprise at the end of the journey, causing the time loop.

If the enterprise hadn't have been there the Bozeman would have just sailed through the anomaly and entered the 24th century without incident.
 
I dunno, I think that explanation lessens the impact of the time loop ... when Captain Frazier talks about how many days ago they left spacedock and what year he thinks it is, it's a gasp moment, like, wow Enterprise, you thought YOU had it bad? This guy got jilted by that horny alien lady in First Contact, and then he's stuck in the loop for all those years? Oof!
 
Maybe the loop only lasted about twenty seconds each time for the Bozeman and each time they were destroyed by the Enterprise before any of the crew could experience the severe deja vu the Enterprise crew were getting.
 
Last edited:
This is one of my favourite episodes too and appropriately enough I can watch it over and over again.

I always got the impression that the Bozeman’s loop had ended with it crashing into the Enterprise every time... but I must admit that doesn’t make much sense if the Enterprise was only in the loop for 17 Days. Something else must’ve brought the Bozeman’s loops to an end. I dunno. That’s time travel for you.
 
We were seeing it from the enterprises point of view, but if you imagine the Bozeman is in a time tunnel, and every time it gets out of the end of it, it hits the enterprise, blows up, and the explosion forces it back into the tunnel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top