LogFAQs > #969384002

Episode 4: The Last Outpost

Finally get the Ferengi. And an ancient race of precursors.

Picard really has no patience, despite exhorting it's virtues. It's probably needed in a starship captain, but he really does come across as a control freak. He especially can't abide Data's nonsense. Practically pains him to play nice with the Ferengi. Loved that he criticises America's flag, only to gush at the French. And starts swearing in French. Calling Riker Will is a nice way of showing their friendship. They make for a good double act. Getting taken by surprise and signalling to kill communication after learning the Ferengi are trying to surrender is a brilliant moment of acting. It's interesting that he stays on the ship much more than Kirk.

Riker is clearly a friend to all children. Seemed a bit irritable on the transporter pad. Being unwaveringly honest to Portal is a great moment. Calling out for "anybody" veers into the hammy a bit. Frakes and Stewart are getting a bit more seamless in their conversations.

Burton plays La Forge with such a boundless energy and enthusiasm that it's completely infectious. Just a genuinely cool guy, especially during the engine room scene. His laughter at Data getting stuck is a joy.

Yar gets a nice reaction shot when she learns that Ferengi females aren't allowed clothes. Justifiably outraged at the Ferengi's perversion. After the last episode, I'm grateful the security chief gets to be a decent threat.

Worf is still advocating for the violent solution. This is the most we've seen of him so far, but I still don't have much of a feel for him.

Crusher only gets a couple of scenes, but she's a highlight in both of them. Shutting down Picard's death with dignity idea is great, as is the minor flirting when they wake up.

Troi still feels a little underutilised, but I feel that Sirtis has settled into the role a little more comfortably. At least she gives a useful suggestion to check the planet.

Data is a highlight. His confusion over the finger trap is priceless and Spiner is an absolute master of physical comedy. Even the way he gets knocked out is distinctive. Love his attempts at slang. For a guy that doesn't get comedy, hes often hilarious. Alongside Picard and Crusher, he's becoming one of my favourite characters.

No Wesley, which is no great loss.

The Ferengi have some delightful physicality to them. Jumping around, crouching and crawling like an energised Gollum. They take the capitalism hat to a surprising and very welcome extreme. Not particularly threatening, but given that both ships are in the same predicament, I don't think they're meant to be. I dont mind a more slimy, ineffectual antagonist. The designs of them are brilliant and it's great that they find hu-mans just as ugly as we do them.

Portal has a nice chat with Riker, but before that he's kind of in generic godlike territory.

The Ferengi ship has a great design. The planet still has that stage play aesthetic from TOS, but what little we looks alright. Plus, I just love giant crystals. Some great use of shadows when the ship's power is out.

The Ferengi are obviously capitalists taken to their absolute, utterly disgusting limit. They don't just regard everything, even means that would help them survive, as opportunities for profit, they also have a myopic view of individuality and self interest, to the point that they assume a trap would be laid for them. One interesting point about their culture is the role of women. For a long time, they were excluded from the workforce and, even now, face discrimination despite doing the exact same work as men. Add to this, modern society's weird, rather repressed fixation on sex selling, and its not hard to see why, in Ferengi super capitalism, not only are barred from working or wearing clothes, but the act of having clothing only invited further titillation from the perverted maniacs. Takes the message further than I would've expected.

Mind you, there is problem. Despite positioning itself as being beyond the space america of TOS, TNG does run the risk of being just as imperialistic. The characters are frequently dismissive, to the point of bigotry, of Ferengi culture and one criticism of federation values made, that they abandon so called undeveloped planets to die in the event of a catastrophe, does stick. The prime directive can't be an absolutist statement. There's quite a gulf between outrighy imposing your culture on another people and merely helping out those in need. A little too self congratulatory here.

Still, it's an enjoyable episode with a mostly sound point, especially after the last debacle.

Going Where No One Has Gone Before next.