Board 8 > Wifebolo Watches - Star Trek: TNG

(+) Yeah! (+)

S6E21 - "Frame of Mind"
Loved this episode so much. Jonathan Frakes amazes in the layered reality that is encountering these aliens in an insane asylum. I'm reminded of Nellie Bly's work, although Riker didn't enter into this too willingly. Or at least he had no idea what he was to encounter when he did.

S6E22 - "Suspicions"
This seemed a lot more like a TOS episode to me, which I found refreshing. Guinan is our wonderfully off-brand counselor, and Crusher actually breaks rules. I can tell Picard loves her for it, despite it being a pain. That guy who looked like a dish scrubby ended up being the big bad. Who knew?

S6E23 - "Rightful Heir"
This episode was funky. I definitely enjoyed it, but it was pretty wild. I don't necessarily appreciate Trek explaining away each and every faith-related situation, but I can understand why they do it [the general understanding in-universe that faith is superstitious/pointless/intellectually weak]. Nice to know that the Qo'noS can live with a figurehead.

S6E24 - "Second Chances"
HILARIOUS. This episode was really funny. I'm so happy, even though this episode ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Crusher is best gal pal. Data observes that humans value their uniqueness. Worf is incredibly observant:"Or perhaps it is more a matter of seeing something in your double, something you do not like in yourself" is a quote that will stay with me for a while. Jonathan Frakes does a great job acting at nothing, this episode was really believable.

S6E25 - "Timescape"
Another Adam Nimoy-directed classic! I've missed him since S6E7 "Rascals". Fun with time and space, although I was a little freaked out when Troi ripped the armband off Geordi "He'll be fine in the other timeline" LaForge. :| I also found myself paying more attention to movement of the characters, to see if they got "stuck" again. It was a pleasant surprise that things are not always as they seem! Yay for helping out Romulans.

"Descent, Parts I & II" are next.
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S6E26 & S7E1 - "Descent, Parts I & II"
Oh, and what a descent it was. I felt like a fan had won a fanfiction scriptwriting contest, and Paramount decided to honor their end of the bargain despite the terrible, inconsistent product it would provide.

Some things were terrific on this - Data struggling with his desire for emotions, seeing the individualistic effect on the Borg, Lore coming back to be a supervillain. It's just how it all happened that went awry. The delay on the 'ethical program' reveal was so long as to seem an oversight.

Hugh actually showing up [how many Borg are in existence?? what are the odds of this actually occurring?] and helping. While we were going over the falls, I wanted more massive Borg brawl. Talk about hilarious.

Deep sigh.

"Liaisons" is next.
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I didn't like it
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but that's okay
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another page for us to

do writeups in bursts
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S7E2 - "Liaisons"
This episode was hilarious. One ambassador eats chocolate and has fun, one ambassador needles Worf until he can earn a good fistfight, and the third ... appears as an obsessed woman starved from human contact to try and seduce Picard. Entertaining nonetheless.

S7E3 - "Interface"
This episode was dramatic and sad. I liked that Geordi could operate a probe to help out [especially since he can't see] but the part about losing his mom was heartbreaking. In a way, it was more satisfying and provided more closure than a holodeck experience, which was nice.

S7E4 & S7E5 - "Gambit, Parts I & II"
Rough and tumble two-parter on the high seas. Deception! Intrigue! Backhanding! Punching! Powering down phasers to 25% so we can treat the villains with kid gloves! Wait, what? Yep. Picard pretends to be a hardboiled smuggler who is at odds with Riker as a hostage while they adventure on a little pirate ship run by a tinplated dictator with delusions of godhood [who is not Kirk, despite the reference]. The resolution of this was a bit silly and didactic, but it was great for our heroes [I am especially proud of Worf].

However, I was really unsurprised when the "Romulan" said she was a Vulcan in disguise, when she had been noting logic and illogic frequently since we first see her on screen. :|

"Phantasms" is next. Ready your forks for cellular peptide cake with mint frosting!
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Picard in Gambit is so great.
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Mac Arrowny posted...

Picard in Gambit is so great.

Yes. Give me a swashbuckling Patrick Stewart any day. It seems like this episode was fun to shoot.
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S7E6 - "Phantasms"
Overall a very strange episode. I was glad that I didn't watch TNG when I was younger, just for this episode. Data's high pitched screech would have given me nightmares as a younger kid tbh. Data's nightmares were useful, if a touch disturbing. Very meme-worthy. "Yes, I use an Android. Yes, it has unlimited Data."

S7E7 - "Dark Page"
Cool to see a young Kirsten Dunst. This episode? Completely heartbreaking. Especially for an old TOS fan like me, watching Majel Barrett-Roddenberry cry is personally painful. Doesn't help that she reminds me of my late maternal grandmother. Anyway! Great episode for the relationship between Lwaxana and Deanna.

"Attached" is next.
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Llarian posted...

"Yes, I use an Android. Yes, it has unlimited Data."

how can I go to bed I am at work
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someone get the ringing
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Currently watching Akira Kurosawa's Drunken Angel. Will resume TNG when finished.
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muh ships
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they are either launching or sinking I was out of the room at the time but they sure did something
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But is Alexander iron blooded
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so that rakugo anime has a second season now
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:| Yeah it does. Will resume TNG soon.
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episode 11 is heartbreaking I hear
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we're gonna name our kid jugemo
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Back on to TNG tomorrow.
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S7E8 - "Attached"
UGH, MY SHIP. I don't understand Dr. Crusher. I just don't get it. She doesn't even have Wesley as an excuse because the kid is not getting any younger. I think she is reasonable with regards to their respective jobs, etc. but for her to be completely surprised about his feelings makes no sense.

S7E9 - "Force of Nature"
This felt a lot like a TOS episode to me, which was cool. Nice to see that the warp drive capability has some drawbacks.

S7E10 - "Inheritance"
Interesting and yet slightly heartbreaking episode. I was amazed at Data's ability to withhold the truth [although I suspect he can keep other secrets]. And I love dad-son reunions, even if it's only in the holodeck. The part where Data's "mom" looked like Amanda [Spock's mother] was not lost on me. Her character design was almost identical.

"Parallels" is next.
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Llarian posted...

"Parallels" is next.

Yessss
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S7E11 - "Parallels"
Friendly reminder that Worf is not a merry man! Especially when he's in time flux, apparently. The jillion Enterprises blooping into existence was really funny, as was CastawayBeard!Riker who doesn't wanna go back to fighting the Borg. The birthday party at the beginning made me laugh out loud. The Worf/Troi ship made me feel really uncomfortable - not that I think they'd make a bad pairing, but I'm just much more a fan of Riker with Troi. The other Enterprise, with all the metal accents rather than smooth wood, took on this awful zeerust feel that was kinda dumb. All in all, a funny and touching episode.

S7E12 - "The Pegasus"
This too, felt much more like a TOS episode. Loved Riker's secret, and powerless Picard, and lots of different things happening. Especially Worf's moment of civil disobedience. Took me back to the Doomsday Machine, with all the pulling rank and associated hijinks.

"Homeward" is next.
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Parallels is one of my favorite episodes. It's great to see Worf out of his element in an episode having nothing to do with his Klingon heritage or combat, and it gives some look at the more complex character he would be on DS9.

Jesse_Custer posted...

Parallels is one of my favorite episodes. It's great to see Worf out of his element in an episode having nothing to do with his Klingon heritage or combat, and it gives some look at the more complex character he would be on DS9.

I agree, I like seeing Worf in different situations and seeing how he reacts. Character development!
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Worf is easily among my favorite Star Trek characters.

But then the entire Klingon culture is among my favorite cultures, too.

Oddly enough, so are the Vulcans - you'd think a species of emotion-controlling logic-worshiping aliens would have no culture whatsoever, but no, they have a deep culture with rich music* and temples and what probably constitutes a religion.

*Also, saying "Vulcan" and "Music" in the same sentence makes me laugh and I'm sure many of you can guess why.
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BowserCuffs posted...

Worf is easily among my favorite Star Trek characters.

But then the entire Klingon culture is among my favorite cultures, too.

Oddly enough, so are the Vulcans - you'd think a species of emotion-controlling logic-worshiping aliens would have no culture whatsoever, but no, they have a deep culture with rich music* and temples and what probably constitutes a religion.

*Also, saying "Vulcan" and "Music" in the same sentence makes me laugh and I'm sure many of you can guess why.

Worf is certainly one of the more developed characters over the course of the series. Same with Klingon culture. I never cared much for either on my first watch through, but there's too much there to not appreciate on some level. I can't very much wish for characters and cultures that are more than one note caricatures and then oppose the very things that give them depth, now can I?

Does your laughter involve the bravest little hobbit of them all?
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BowserCuffs posted...

Worf is easily among my favorite Star Trek characters.

He's actually my #1 Star Trek character. When you include DS9, he's had such an epic story arc. And I think there's a lot of depth to his character from which the best concepts of Klingon culture were derived.

SovietOmega posted...

Does your laughter involve the bravest little hobbit of them all?

YES!

R.I.P. Leonard Nemoy.
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My favorite part is the random flying clothes
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also the weird little hobbit walk
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this is the dumbest daggum episode
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...the fun part is there are several options for which one I was referring to, because we are trying to finish today and hoo boy
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Quick, the series is ending and we still have so many ideas! Use as many as you can, the rest and the dumb ones can wait for Voyager.
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There are a few neat episodes, like Lower Decks for instance, but yeah...for everything good in season 7, there's a clunker of an episode. There's still the movies if you want to see how hilarious movie Picard is vs TV Picard, and DS9 is more good Trek if that's something desired (unless a break is needed, goodness knows there is a LOT of Trek to wade through).
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she eventually tapped out but a worthy attempt was made
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Okay, folks. I have finally finished TNG and have a good many writeups to do. I'll be posting them throughout the evening as I finish up Generations.

Thanks again to whoever popped in for any length of time. I appreciate your interest in taking this journey with me.

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”
-Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
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Sub Rosa ;_;
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and then there are movies
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And DS9
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S7E13 - "Homeward"
I always love clashes of values/personality with Worf. Best. Yes good. I also enjoy when people flout the rules and regulations, probably the TOS fan in me.

S7E14 - "Sub Rosa"
Break my heart, please. This was a tough episode to get through. Can I just say that this episode would be a non-issue if Crusher and Picard would get it together already?

S7E15 - "Lower Decks"
This right here is the heart and soul of TNG, your joe-average Starfleet folks going through their jobs and trying their best to make good connections and get promotions/recognition for their hard work.

S7E16 - "Thine Own Self"
Yay, it's a Data episode. This was precious, I could easily see it as a short story had it not been part of a larger narrative. It's amazing how people fear what they do not understand.

S7E17 - "Masks"
A great exercise for Brent Spiner but overall a STRANGE episode. It was exciting at times, and the sets/makeup were very beautiful - but I was mostly wanting it to be over. And it was soon enough, minus any serious climax.

S7E18 - "Eye of the Beholder"
This was a really wild episode, and I enjoyed being along for the ride. Troi is of course the key to this mystery, but things get psychologically funky in there. It's a good time. More Worf/Troi which is not my fave. An interesting treatment of the issue of suicide.

S7E19 - "Genesis"
STUPID. NO ONE NEEDED THIS EPISODE. UGH. Also an extra 'screw you' to whoever thought the jumpscare was a good idea.

S7E20 - "Journey's End"
Viva Wesley Crusher, may your Gary Stu-ness never end.

S7E21 - "Firstborn"
This episode bended my brain around, in a good way. Yay Klingon culture and time travel.

S7E22 - "Bloodlines"
Nice to see Picard in a fatherly role, and demonstrating the unconditional ideal that parents are supposed to express. Primary takeaway: get Picard to adopt you if you are feeling crappy about yourself.

S7E23 - "Emergence"
Another holodeck error episode. Shoot me now, Sheriff.

S7E24 - "Preemptive Strike"
ENSIGN RO! ENSIGN RO! WHAT WE NEEDED ON THIS SHOW!
Okay, I'm done chanting. This would have meant more had she been a more regular character, but it meant a lot to me. Those baby bangs they gave her are a tad unforgivable, but this storyline makes so much sense. Quality Trek.

S7E25 & S7E26 - "All Good Things..."
...must come to an end in the 5th season, before all this weirdness starts going downhill.
Did I say that out loud? Anyway, Picard is a Time Lord and Q is just teaching him one last lesson. Plus, it's very satisfying to see almost everyone in the future. I love seeing the passage of time in a series, be it flashback or timeskip.

Overall a great series, with terrific characters. I've watched Generations and First Contact at this point, but I'd much rather do a writeup of all TNG movies at once.
See you next week!
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All Good Things best Star Trek episode IMO.
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I did not much care for All Good Things but I keep reminding myself it's a better series finale than Stargate SG-1.
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aww, that sucks. I thought it was perfect.
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Mac Arrowny posted...

All Good Things best Star Trek episode IMO.

It is one of the better ones of TNG, honestly. Very fun, very watchable. Character development, plot, interesting makeup experimentation, a variety of emotional states presented. And Q. Always Q.
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Tom Bombadil posted...

I did not much care for All Good Things but I keep reminding myself it's a better series finale than Stargate SG-1.

Not a very high bar.
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I wanna know. Have you ever seen the rain?
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fighting evil by moonlight
doing writeups by daylight
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30 rock is pretty good
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30 Rock is fantastic. Top 5 TV series IMO.
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