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Clues is definitely some good puzzle-style sci-fi, but the effects on Troi's voice are probably funnier to me than they should be. This is around the point in the show where making the lists was getting harder just because there were way too many good episodes per season.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Fri Aug 15, 2014 12:27 pm 
Sat Aug 16, 2014 4:48 am
Haha, the Troi voice is pretty awesome. I love that her bizarre possessed stare is just slightly weirder than her usual "Why am I on the bridge so often?" stare.
Just finished the Redemptions. Pretty fun two-parter, even though the sisters were unbearable. On the other hand, I don't hate Sela. I actually think Crosby is better off playing a vaguely emotionless non-human. I guess I also appreciated that she's the one who forces the stupid Duras kid to shut up. The backstory is kinda bizarre, and I can't decide if it's supposed to make her a 'sympathetic villain' or not. I hope not (I can't remember what ends up happening to her), because that might just break her character for me. The delivery of the backstory was awkward enough; keep her cold and calculating and essentially uninteresting, and I'll be okay with it.
As soon as Picard ordered Riker to take one of the blockade ships, I immediately thought to myself with glee "is this the one where Data takes command of one of the ships?" I had forgotten about it up until that moment, but it was great to see it again. It ends up being maybe the most compelling aspect of the episodes.
Looking at some of the episodes coming up for season5, I'm probably going to watch more than your list. I want to remember what the hell happens in Unification. I also recently (a year or so ago I think) saw Perfect Mate on tv, and really want to watch it again. That's another one that's really really sad the more you think about it, and I'll probably say more after rewatching it. I'm also looking forward to the one with the repeating poker game.
I am Srime
Just finished the Redemptions. Pretty fun two-parter, even though the sisters were unbearable. On the other hand, I don't hate Sela. I actually think Crosby is better off playing a vaguely emotionless non-human. I guess I also appreciated that she's the one who forces the stupid Duras kid to shut up. The backstory is kinda bizarre, and I can't decide if it's supposed to make her a 'sympathetic villain' or not. I hope not (I can't remember what ends up happening to her), because that might just break her character for me. The delivery of the backstory was awkward enough; keep her cold and calculating and essentially uninteresting, and I'll be okay with it.
As soon as Picard ordered Riker to take one of the blockade ships, I immediately thought to myself with glee "is this the one where Data takes command of one of the ships?" I had forgotten about it up until that moment, but it was great to see it again. It ends up being maybe the most compelling aspect of the episodes.
Looking at some of the episodes coming up for season5, I'm probably going to watch more than your list. I want to remember what the hell happens in Unification. I also recently (a year or so ago I think) saw Perfect Mate on tv, and really want to watch it again. That's another one that's really really sad the more you think about it, and I'll probably say more after rewatching it. I'm also looking forward to the one with the repeating poker game.
I am Srime
Sat Aug 16, 2014 1:33 pm
Sela basically gets forgotten about. She shows up in another episode but gets no final resolution. The Duras sisters are the worst, and their appearance on DS9 is even worse than their TNG episodes. I DID get to see a really super awkward guy hit on their actresses in real life though and that was pretty funny.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Sat Aug 16, 2014 3:47 pm
Haha wow, when and how did that happen?
I am Srime
I am Srime
Sat Aug 16, 2014 5:15 pm
A Trek Convention about three or four years ago. There's always hilariously awkward dudes asking questions, but for the most part they're polite even when they're creepy. Some go a little too far. Don't ask actors to be in your fan films!
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Sat Aug 16, 2014 8:18 pm
The Wobbler wrote:
Some go a little too far. Don't ask actors to be in your fan films!
I think when William Shatner appeared in that fan-movie about him appearing in a fan movie, it made things worse for all other star trek actors everywhere
Sun Aug 17, 2014 3:59 am
Watched Darmok earlier today. The concept feels a bit silly I guess, but I don't care. The more I think about it, the more this becomes one of my favorites. The actor playing the other captain was fantastic, especially given the bizarre makeup AND the bizarre form of communication. I thought the scene where he manages to explain to Picard what he was trying to accomplish is genuinely moving, as well as Picard telling him the story near the end.
As of right now (early season 5), here's what I've got:
Top 3 (no order; after these, a lot of episodes would vie for the next spots):
Offspring
Best of Both Worlds
Darmok
Better than I remembered:
Worf's girlfriend (so both of those episodes)
Worse than I remembered:
Lore (his introduction was only ok, and Brothers kinda sucked)
Most Overrated:
Yesterday's Enterprise (some review site calls this a classic, and most people there seem to agree, as well as a good friend of mine; I'd give it a B at best, more likely a C+)
Most Underrated:
I don't know Trek fans well enough to know which episodes people claim to dislike. I feel like Remember Me might be an option here, but for all I know people actually rave about it.
I am Srime
As of right now (early season 5), here's what I've got:
Top 3 (no order; after these, a lot of episodes would vie for the next spots):
Offspring
Best of Both Worlds
Darmok
Better than I remembered:
Worf's girlfriend (so both of those episodes)
Worse than I remembered:
Lore (his introduction was only ok, and Brothers kinda sucked)
Most Overrated:
Yesterday's Enterprise (some review site calls this a classic, and most people there seem to agree, as well as a good friend of mine; I'd give it a B at best, more likely a C+)
Most Underrated:
I don't know Trek fans well enough to know which episodes people claim to dislike. I feel like Remember Me might be an option here, but for all I know people actually rave about it.
I am Srime
Sun Aug 17, 2014 4:23 am
Off the top of my head, worst episodes:
Sub Rosa
Angel One
Code of Honor
Naked Now
Justice
Descent Part II
People hate Rascals but I think it's pretty funny. Same with Genesis, stupid as hell but so dumb it's funny. Everyone complains about Shades of Gray, but it's just a clip show. Completely pointless but ignorable. Time's Arrow gets a lot of guff and it's not the BEST but I think it's fun. It didn't need to be a two-parter.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Sub Rosa
Angel One
Code of Honor
Naked Now
Justice
Descent Part II
People hate Rascals but I think it's pretty funny. Same with Genesis, stupid as hell but so dumb it's funny. Everyone complains about Shades of Gray, but it's just a clip show. Completely pointless but ignorable. Time's Arrow gets a lot of guff and it's not the BEST but I think it's fun. It didn't need to be a two-parter.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:49 am
Yeah I've already skipped some of those I'm pretty sure, and this show is uneven enough even in some of the good episodes that I'm not in a hurry to check those out (although I'll probably do all of Descent).
I watched Unification this evening. It's funny, I remembered a lot of the buildup, but couldn't remember the ending at all. Probably because it's such a letdown, almost downright silly. I mean, did they really have to make Sela flat out explain the whole plan? For what, for fun? Then leave them alone in her office?
Despite that, I still don't HATE Sela's character, or Crosby's portrayal. She comes off as a brat with some base intelligence and cunning, along with a woefully childish short-sightedness. Watching her almost pull something like this off is like watching an idiot take people by surprise by way of sheer incompetent brashness - ridiculous, but not inconceivable. It actually provides a curious contrast to Spock's appearance. I actually really like her delivery when her impatience finally boils over and she complains about hating Vulcans and everything about them. She personifies everything that separates the Romulans from the Vulcans, and I'm okay with that.
All of the extra stuff with Riker felt like passable filler. The Picard-Sarek-Spock character stuff was good, but didn't get the time it needed in part2 to feel like it really mattered. It was nice to see Spock again certainly, and his calm delivery calling out the older Senator as the spy was great. I was on board for most of the humor too, including Data trying to help Sela pick a better job. Most of the bigger logical problems (what does Romulus really stand to gain from invading Vulcan? how does that pro-Vulcan underground survive now if the old Senator was a spy and knows their names?) don't really bother me that much. I honestly think that if the stupid villain-tells-plan speech was removed, I'd kinda like the episode. But as is, I can see why Wobbler wouldn't recommend it.
I am Srime
I watched Unification this evening. It's funny, I remembered a lot of the buildup, but couldn't remember the ending at all. Probably because it's such a letdown, almost downright silly. I mean, did they really have to make Sela flat out explain the whole plan? For what, for fun? Then leave them alone in her office?
Despite that, I still don't HATE Sela's character, or Crosby's portrayal. She comes off as a brat with some base intelligence and cunning, along with a woefully childish short-sightedness. Watching her almost pull something like this off is like watching an idiot take people by surprise by way of sheer incompetent brashness - ridiculous, but not inconceivable. It actually provides a curious contrast to Spock's appearance. I actually really like her delivery when her impatience finally boils over and she complains about hating Vulcans and everything about them. She personifies everything that separates the Romulans from the Vulcans, and I'm okay with that.
All of the extra stuff with Riker felt like passable filler. The Picard-Sarek-Spock character stuff was good, but didn't get the time it needed in part2 to feel like it really mattered. It was nice to see Spock again certainly, and his calm delivery calling out the older Senator as the spy was great. I was on board for most of the humor too, including Data trying to help Sela pick a better job. Most of the bigger logical problems (what does Romulus really stand to gain from invading Vulcan? how does that pro-Vulcan underground survive now if the old Senator was a spy and knows their names?) don't really bother me that much. I honestly think that if the stupid villain-tells-plan speech was removed, I'd kinda like the episode. But as is, I can see why Wobbler wouldn't recommend it.
I am Srime
Mon Aug 18, 2014 12:22 pm
I think it's pretty funny that the Romulans are going to take over Vulcan with one ship and 500 dudes. Trek's always really terrible about scale and the size of planets/populations and that's like the ultimate example.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:52 am
Seems pretty reasonable to me!
On an actually serious note, just got finished with Ethics and Outkast: The Love Below. With Ethics, I really like the ideas and the conflicts, but there's just something missing from the execution. None of McFadden's deliveries are bad, but I felt like they needed a little bit of arrogance on top of the conviction to really match the situation and dialogue. Still a good episode though.
The Outcast was kinda turning me off with the heavy handed message. Too much monologuing too directly for my tastes. But then Riker and Worf get ready to beam down, and I thought for a split second and realized what was about to happen, and actually yelled and swore at the screen before they even get to her. I still think the forced monologues prevent this from being a top episode for me, but man that ending! That shit is sad, probably the saddest ending yet.
I am Srime
On an actually serious note, just got finished with Ethics and Outkast: The Love Below. With Ethics, I really like the ideas and the conflicts, but there's just something missing from the execution. None of McFadden's deliveries are bad, but I felt like they needed a little bit of arrogance on top of the conviction to really match the situation and dialogue. Still a good episode though.
The Outcast was kinda turning me off with the heavy handed message. Too much monologuing too directly for my tastes. But then Riker and Worf get ready to beam down, and I thought for a split second and realized what was about to happen, and actually yelled and swore at the screen before they even get to her. I still think the forced monologues prevent this from being a top episode for me, but man that ending! That shit is sad, probably the saddest ending yet.
I am Srime
Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:44 am
I totally see what you (Wobbler) mean on your website when you say season 5 is your favorite. I wasn't really feeling the first half so much (other than Darmok), but man the second half is really, really strong. Starting from Conundrum, I really enjoyed pretty much everything on your list, with First Duty and Inner Light being the major standouts for me.
I also wanted to bring up Perfect Mate, since it's not on your list. Like First Duty and Inner Light, it really benefits from Stewart's excellent acting, but here we also get Famke Janssen in tragically perfect form as the 'metamorph' Kamala. I really love this episode because it shows difficult and possibly unethical scenarios, and leaves a lot of questions unanswered for the audience to consider. By the end of the episode, I'm not convinced that Kamala ever became more independent at all; rather, because Picard would WANT Kamala to feel independent and free (not to mention curious), that is how she felt. It's not that she purposely tried to deceive Picard; as a metamorph, she has no choice but to become aligned with the wishes of whatever man is present.
So when she claims she's willing to be a gift of her own free will, what does that even mean? What does free will mean to an entity that automatically becomes whatever a potential mate desires? How can such a creature have any concept of self? And yet she clearly has thoughts and feelings. The idea of a being who seems to automatically think and feel whatever pleases his/her mate is kinda twisted and really, really sad.
I am Srime
I also wanted to bring up Perfect Mate, since it's not on your list. Like First Duty and Inner Light, it really benefits from Stewart's excellent acting, but here we also get Famke Janssen in tragically perfect form as the 'metamorph' Kamala. I really love this episode because it shows difficult and possibly unethical scenarios, and leaves a lot of questions unanswered for the audience to consider. By the end of the episode, I'm not convinced that Kamala ever became more independent at all; rather, because Picard would WANT Kamala to feel independent and free (not to mention curious), that is how she felt. It's not that she purposely tried to deceive Picard; as a metamorph, she has no choice but to become aligned with the wishes of whatever man is present.
So when she claims she's willing to be a gift of her own free will, what does that even mean? What does free will mean to an entity that automatically becomes whatever a potential mate desires? How can such a creature have any concept of self? And yet she clearly has thoughts and feelings. The idea of a being who seems to automatically think and feel whatever pleases his/her mate is kinda twisted and really, really sad.
I am Srime
Wed Aug 20, 2014 4:24 am
Yeah that's definitely a good one! The Ferengi bumbling is a little bit TOO cornball, but the rest's all good. For season 4-6, there are a lot of episodes I like that didn't make the list since it would have gotten crazy long.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:00 pm
I definitely remember a lot of these s6 episodes more clearly than most of the previous stuff. I did watch Time's Arrow, and even though I agree it's not great, the early bit in part 1 where invisible Data is describing the feeding aliens is maybe the creepiest thing on the show. True Q is one of those episodes where I really love the ideas and I wish they had time to do more with it. Fistful of Datas was a bit disappointing; for some reason I remember it being more crazy and fun than it actually was.
Chain of Command was pretty visceral, but this side of Trek never captivated me (probably another reason why I don't get into ds9). I like Trek that forces me to think a bit outside the box - bordering on bizarre, but still rooted in something universal about humanity (thus I love Darmok, and I like that goofy ds9 episode where they're trapped in a board game). I like the idea that even when humanity has managed to get its shit together, there are still limitless variations of challenges (physical, intellectual, ethical) when exploring and trying to understand the diversity of the universe. I'm less interested in Trek that more directly mirrors the tragedies of the current human condition. In my opinion, it loses a bit of its uniqueness and 'wonder' this way.
I am Srime
Chain of Command was pretty visceral, but this side of Trek never captivated me (probably another reason why I don't get into ds9). I like Trek that forces me to think a bit outside the box - bordering on bizarre, but still rooted in something universal about humanity (thus I love Darmok, and I like that goofy ds9 episode where they're trapped in a board game). I like the idea that even when humanity has managed to get its shit together, there are still limitless variations of challenges (physical, intellectual, ethical) when exploring and trying to understand the diversity of the universe. I'm less interested in Trek that more directly mirrors the tragedies of the current human condition. In my opinion, it loses a bit of its uniqueness and 'wonder' this way.
I am Srime
Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:16 am
The scariest game I've played in a long time. Yeah, some of the puzzles are horribly obtuse, but it's such a good, weird experiment.
P.T.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition
P.T.
Super Walrus Land: Mouth Words Edition