STAR TREK

[Josephus]

I found DS9 became too serialized towards the end; I prefer episodes of the week to that. Also didn't like the characters as much...Sisko, his son, Bashir, and all the Ferengis.

[Neil]

The Wesley episode with Ashley Judd was pretty good. 

Overall, I think that DS9 was pretty good, but I could certainly see how some of it wouldn't appeal to people.  The Ferengi-centered episodes, for example, could definitely be a bit too much of a gag for some people (aside from ones that were more focused on Quark and another crew member). 

I think that new Star Trek needs to stop trying to have Spock have a romantic life.  It's very fanfiction-y.

[Tonitrus]

I think the best ST series' that never happened would have been:

1. Captain Sulu and the USS Excelsior after ST:VI.

2. A just-after-ST:TNG anthology series (with some allowance for reoccurring ships/characters)

[Syt]

Continuing my TNG re-watch.

S2E20: The Emissary. A Klingon ship with a crew that has been in cryo-sleep for 75 years and therefore doesn't know that they war is over is headed for Federation space. To help with the situation an Emissary, the half-human and half-Klingon K'Ehleyr is dispatched to Enterprise to help deal with the situation once the popsicles wake up. She and Worf have history, they have sex on the holodeck (poor Lower Decker who had to clean up the biofilters after ), Worf wants a commitment, but K'Ehleyr doesn't - Worf is trying to stick to Klingon traditions, while she doesn't care. In the end they hash things out and manage to convince the awoken Klingons not to attack.

This episode would of course lead into the introduction of the beloved character of Alexander in later seasons. Solid episode, with some fun dialogue. Also had a Di-Caprio-pointing-at-screen moment when I noticed that a guest ensign was a young Diedrich Bader.

S2E21: The Emissary. I was always fond of this episode. Roy Brocksmith is an excellent guest star, and always happy to see some ship porn (in this case a Constellation Class ). Not much to say - solid episode, though Data's self-doubt was a bit drawn out. After losing the game of Strategema and trying to figure out what is wrong with him, first Troi talks to Data, then Pulaski, and finally Picard in separate scenes. Also features Armin Shimerman (Quark) as Ferengi, and a valuable life lesson from Picard: "It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life."

S2E22: Shades of Gray. Ugh. A clip show. Clearly on a shoestring budget and a cast that seem to be phoning it in (esp. Frakes). Among a very uneven second season the worst for the sheer laziness of it.

S3E01: Evolutiuon. AKA the one with the nanites. Ken Jenkins as Dr. Kelso Stubbs is an obsessed scientist with a once in 190-something years opportunity for a scientific experiment. He bonds with Wesley who reminds him of himself when he was young. Things go pear shaped when Wes's school project of trying to enhance nanites goes out of control and the buggers get lose, start eating the Enterprise's computer core and create a civilization. Meanwhile, Beverly tries to re-connect with Wesley after being away for a year (a theme that continues into Prodigy's Second Season ). There's some scenes that were cut due to time, showing among other things Wesley's friends on board, including a certain Eric, played by Scott Grimes. So Grimes showed up on Trek before he was on Orville (and before Seth McFarlane was on Trek ). Viewers might know him as the voice of Steve on American Dad and as Malarkey on Band of Brothers.


"Go go Power Rangers!"

S3 marks the arrival of the new collared uniforms (thank god!), and overall the feel of the production changes - the space shots of Enterprise near the red giant and the neutron star look gorgeous with moody lighting, and the production feels less "soap opera" if that makes sense. And it's fairly typical for much of TNG IMHO - a big science concept (sentient nanites) blended with some personal drama (Wesley and Beverly, with Dr. Kelso Stubbs thrown in for good measure).

Though it's funny to see how slow paced older Trek often is. There's time to have Picard walk from turbolift to Data at the science console for a few seconds, pauses in dialogue, linger on shots of computer consoles, ... Compare with modern Trek (well, most TV, really), where a lot of that is cut or compressed.

[Syt]

Also - loved new Strange New Worlds. Maybe my favorite episode of the season so far.

[Josquius]

I saw episode 2 of Strange New Worlds.
Its good. Though again really makes me annoyed they did the split series finale/conclusion thing with the Gorn.
Also makes me sad they do this 12 episodes every few years thing. I would take a bit lower quality for more silly episodes.

[HVC]

10

[Josquius]

I saw episode 3 of STW.

Not good.

Even before the zombies showed up the way doc and cap were moving I said "last of us vibes" and low and behold....

The whole thing felt very... Clunky. Like a fan made what if last of us was vaguely Sci fi.

All series have their stinkers. Hoping it picks up.

[Syt]

This episode was. Ho-hum. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. It was just ... there. And nowhere near as good as the two similarly styled episodes of Babylon 5.

[HVC]

Much better episode, although if you dislike "fun trek" it might not do it for you.  anson mounts hair is glorious. I'm getting a little tired of Carol Canes character.  As an actress she's great in general, and I don't blame her, but the beats are off. Even for this type of episode.

[Josquius]

I randomly watched the First Contact episode of TNG the other day. Had forgotten about that one. Its a classic.

I also saw episode 4 of SNW. Pretty dumb setup, but I guess its nice to see a holodeck episode. Interesting that the animated series is gradually becoming ever more proper-canon. I did love Kirk's Shatnerisms. So-so episode overall.

[Syt]

Much better episode, although if you dislike "fun trek" it might not do it for you.  anson mounts hair is glorious. I'm getting a little tired of Carol Canes character.  As an actress she's great in general, and I don't blame her, but the beats are off. Even for this type of episode.

I really struggled with his at first and it made me cringe. Fortunately, it got better and had some genuine funny bits. "Have you met my sister Susan?" And of course Kirk/Scotty. And it serves up a morale - to thine own self be true.

It felt more like a Lower Decks episode in tone and style. Also, at this point I wonder if they're leaning a bit too heavily on using Vulcans for humor.

Do watch the post credit scene, though.

[HVC]

It had me from the beginning. The reoccurring half Vulcan jabs. The whole Doug meeting was gold.  "Doug is also my name" " that is a coincidence"

[Syt]

Patton Oswald is just such a treasure.