Star Trek Thread: To Boldly Split Infinitives - Page 58 - The Lounge Discussion and Review on Literature, Arts, Culture

Watched the two-parter Best of both worlds. It was quite good. It didn't seem to be worthy of one of the best episodes of TV in history, but it was solid. I think for space opera drama I prefer Babylon 5. For fun stories (such as things involving Q or episodes like The Royale), TNG is better. I love the characters in TNG.

Maybe not in a vacuum, but consider when it aired - no Sci-Fi show ever did a season-ending cliffhanger like that, and the only other popular show in general that had was Dallas. It was just unheard of at the time.

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02-17-2016 , 12:27 AM

#1427

Enrique

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The first part was fantastic. I just was a little underwhelmed with part II

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02-17-2016 , 03:48 AM

#1428

Elrazor

losing momentum

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 13,804

I think those great cliffhangers are somewhat diluted by instant streaming. You just get the denouement straight away, whereas on the original run you had to wait all summer to see what happened. Information was a lot tougher to come by pre-internet, so the rumours Stewart might leave the show would further add to this, with no way to check if he was or not.

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02-17-2016 , 05:47 PM

#1429

diebitter

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ST TNG S3E08 The Price

Whilst the actual story is kind of sappy, decent writing and acting save this from being poor. There's even some comedy moments involving the Ferengi (the expression on their faces when the wormhole disappears and leaves them stranded in deep space is priceless, and their shtick about a chair when they first meet Picard made me chuckle), and Marina Sirtis does pretty well with her more central than usual role.

6/10

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02-18-2016 , 09:46 PM

#1430

Cranberry Tea

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The Ferengi can always make a dull episode worth watching. So much fun.

It's a shame that Troi was such an underwritten character. The idea of a telepath on board the Enterprise opens up all kinds of privacy issues that are hinted at a bit in this episode but never really explored in full. Marina Sirtis did a fine job with the material she was given, but the character is never much more than Riker's love interest.

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02-18-2016 , 11:16 PM

#1431

DC2LV

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Quote:

Originally Posted by diebitter

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Originally Posted by Cranberry Tea

The Ferengi can always make a dull episode worth watching. So much fun.

Ironically, I was thinking just the opposite. The appearance of the Ferengi just about guarantees a poor episode.

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02-18-2016 , 11:37 PM

#1432

whosnext

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Agreed, Ferengi in TNG were terrible.

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02-19-2016 , 03:29 AM

#1433

Elrazor

losing momentum

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 13,804

Yeah TNG Ferengi are often viewed through rose tinted glasses due to Armin Shimerman's and Max Grodénchik's superb turns in DS9, where pretty much every Ferengi episode was funny/watchable.

TNG they just went through this horrible transition from genuine antagonists to comedy villains. This was one of the pivotal episodes in that transition I guess, but taken as a whole the Ferengi episodes in TNG were probably only slightly better than Lwaxana Troi ones.

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02-19-2016 , 09:04 AM

#1434

Cranberry Tea

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*shrug* I guess I'm a sucker for the cheesy, goofball side of ST.

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02-19-2016 , 09:51 AM

#1435

Enrique

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Watched The Emissary from DS9. Really strong first episode. I think I'll eventually go through this series. I'm a bit torn because I'm a Babylon 5 fan and I hear Deep Space 9 is a bit of a rip off.

I also watched TNG's Reunion. I am going through episodes with high ratings for TNG and I decided to give this one a go. I thought the episode was fantastic. It made me want to go back and watch Sins of the Father from Season 3 (which I skipped when the temptation of watching Best of Both Worlds was too strong). Season 4 seems to have a lot of highly rated episodes and I look forward to more Klingon episodes.

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02-19-2016 , 09:54 AM

#1436

Lattimer

I is smart

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I think my favorite all-time Ferengi episode is the DS9 one where they rescue Quark's and Rom's mother from the Dominion.

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02-19-2016 , 10:35 AM

#1437

Kurn, son of Mogh

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Originally Posted by Lattimer

I think my favorite all-time Ferengi episode is the DS9 one where they rescue Quark's and Rom's mother from the Dominion.

I like the one where they go back in time to Roswell, and Quark asks what the humans are doing (smoking). When he's told humans don't do it any more because it's unhealthy, Quark wants to stay in that time because "if these humans will buy poison they'll buy anything."

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02-19-2016 , 10:42 AM

#1438

SenorKeeed

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Quark was such a great character.

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02-19-2016 , 10:47 AM

#1439

Kurn, son of Mogh

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Originally Posted by SenorKeeed

Quark was such a great character.

Quark and Garak might be the GOAT non-lead characters in the franchise.

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02-19-2016 , 10:51 AM

#1440

SenorKeeed

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02-19-2016 , 10:55 AM

#1441

SenorKeeed

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And what do I think of that ketracil white necklace?

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02-19-2016 , 01:32 PM

#1442

slamdunkpro

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurn, son of Mogh

Quark and Garak might be the GOAT non-lead characters in the franchise.

Quark's analogy of the Federation to root beer for Garak is one of my favorite DS9 moments.

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02-19-2016 , 01:50 PM

#1443

Cranberry Tea

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Originally Posted by Enrique

DS9 is considered by many to be the best ST franchise. I think it's more accurate to say that both the shows might have borrowed ideas from each other.

I'm gonna say Quark, Q, and Harvey Mudd are my GOAT side characters.

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02-19-2016 , 02:05 PM

#1444

SenorKeeed

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Well Quark isn't really a side character like Q or Mudd or even Garak. He was a main cast member for DS9's whole run. Garak might have joined the main cast in season six or seven, but before then he and Q and Mudd were guest stars.

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02-19-2016 , 02:33 PM

#1445

Kurn, son of Mogh

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Originally Posted by SenorKeeed

Good point. I knew Quark was in every episode, but didn't realize until I looked it up that Garak was only in 37, even though he was introduced in season 1.

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02-19-2016 , 03:01 PM

#1446

Lattimer

I is smart

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Quote:

Originally Posted by slamdunkpro

Quark's analogy of the Federation to root beer for Garak is one of my favorite DS9 moments.

Yup that's a great scene. And great double episode too.

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Originally Posted by Cranberry Tea

DS9 is considered by many to be the best ST franchise.

I'm one of them.

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Originally Posted by SenorKeeed

Quark was a main, Garak was not... although most of the secondary characters were around a lot in seasons 6 and 7. One of the best things about DS9 was how often/well developed the secondary characters were - Garak, Rom, Dukat, Weyoun, Kai Winn, Damar, etc. Some of the best interactions on the show were between Dukat and Weyoun. TNG really only had Guinan and 1 season of Ensign Ro, aside from a few characters who popped up in maybe 3 episodes max and got little/no development (Admiral Nechayev, Commander Tomalak, Gowron, Duras).

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02-19-2016 , 03:21 PM

#1447

Kurn, son of Mogh

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Originally Posted by Lattimer

TNG really only had Guinan and 1 season of Ensign Ro, aside from a few characters who popped up in maybe 3 episodes max and got little/no development (Admiral Nechayev, Commander Tomalak, Gowron, Duras).

Now, really, how am I supposed to take this? You list recurring characters and you leave out........KURN????

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02-19-2016 , 03:22 PM

#1448

Elrazor

losing momentum

Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 13,804

I'm a TNG>DS9 guy, but I have to admit, DS9 definitely introduced the side characters and story lines better. They just took something that fans clearly liked from TNG and ran with it.

Although the strength of guest stars like Dukat, Rom, Garak, Kai Winn do also highlight how weak the main cast is....