tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post6654122563443876249..comments2024-03-13T14:53:58.150-04:00Comments on MUSINGS OF A SCI-FI FANATIC: Star Trek: TNG S1 Ep1 & 2: Encounter At Far PointSFFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-54796839915062612822010-10-23T12:06:45.816-04:002010-10-23T12:06:45.816-04:00Thanks L13
Boy you're right. Data certainly ...Thanks L13<br /><br />Boy you're right. Data certainly evolves which is interesting for an android. Great point and observation. Thanks for the kind words my friend.<br />SFFSFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-60265500800958797702010-10-23T00:29:10.162-04:002010-10-23T00:29:10.162-04:00Great look at this episode. I remember that pilot ...Great look at this episode. I remember that pilot well -- the return of freakin' STAR TREK to the airwaves!!! And yes, it hasn't aged well. But, it doesn't take me too long to remember that excitement from way back when on the re-watch. As well, besides the clean shaven Riker, you notice how Data was first envisioned, rather than the flip-side Spock character he became in the series. A great contemplative and insightful post, SFF.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-4624764139619774452010-10-21T17:24:43.150-04:002010-10-21T17:24:43.150-04:00@JKM
*holds breath. . .counts to 10*
;)@JKM<br /><br />*holds breath. . .counts to 10*<br /><br />;)Willhttp://secureimmaturity.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-14729662336710235582010-10-21T08:56:57.337-04:002010-10-21T08:56:57.337-04:00John,
I truly enjoyed your thoughtful and persona...John,<br /><br />I truly enjoyed your thoughtful and personal comments. I loved that personal perspective from your youth. <br /><br />You mentioned some key things that really emphasize my feelings on Season One. I reiterate them to point out just how close we are on our perceptions of this series.<br /><br />1. Your engineering friend certainly had a great point about how they approached TNG versus the regular, ordinary real heroes of TOS. I connected to Bones, Kirk and Spock. These were normal regular guys. I know, even Spock. TNG is a bit like Teeen Titans.<br /><br />2. Dissapointment in the lack of tension, the lack of urgency and the preachy nature of the scripting.<br /><br />Boy, there is much absent from this Season One.<br /><br />Now, here is the funniest part of your post. <br /><br />I too thoroughly enjoyed Heart Of Glory [more than Conspiracy mind you]. It was my favorite episode of Season One. In fact, it is the only episode from this first season whereby I wrote an extensive piece for it. It's still a work in progress, but that is the ONLY one I really delved into for this first season.<br /><br />I think the thing I loved about Heart Of Glory was its throwback, simple, story-telling style about adversaries and trust and motivations. Heart Of Glory is a real winner and that is forthcoming.<br /><br />So, yes John, we definitely see this series through a very similar lens.<br /><br />It's funny you mentioned Troi. I received another flyer int he mail and she'll be one of the guests for signings. I'm half-tempted to go meet her for the fun of it, but then I think to myself, but I blew off meeting Lee Majors and Richard Anderson. How can I do that and go meet Sirtis? It's illogical!<br /><br />Thank you again for the kind words and glad to see you are putting family first too. : )<br /><br />Best to you<br />SFFSFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-27337430162345868072010-10-20T19:57:06.125-04:002010-10-20T19:57:06.125-04:00Sci-Fi Fanatic:
I read your great post on "...Sci-Fi Fanatic: <br /><br />I read your great post on "Encounter at Farpoint" early, early this morning but had a day taking care of my 4-year old son, so I have not been able to get back and leave a comment till now...he's asleep!<br /><br />Anyway, you and I see TNG in a very similar fashion. As a kind of bloodless and self-righteous, inferior version of the Original Series, right down to the lackluster set design.<br /><br />I still remember how I was in high school when the show premiered and I tried my darndest to defend this pilot from my classmates, but they ruthlessly mocked Counselor Troi (a terrible character played by a terrible actress...),especially her cheerleader costume and over-emotional line readings ("Great Joy and Gratitude. Great Joy and Gratitude..."). <br /><br />That line was mocked for days in my school, even by ardent Trek fans.<br /><br />More disturbing to me was the criticism of a classmate I greatly admired -- a brilliant engineer-type -- who told me that he felt Star Trek had lost its way by making the majority of characters in TNG "superheroes" -- Georgi with his "super vision," Wesley with his super-intellect and Troi with her super-human "empathy" or emotionalism. <br /><br />Why can't they just be people like Kirk, Bones, Sulu or Scotty?, he asked. Remember "The Human Adventure is just beginning?"<br /><br />I didn't have an answer then, and I don't have an answer now. <br /><br />For years I tried to defend TNG because I desperately wanted to like it and see the franchise continue, but after awhile I realized the most significant emotion I felt, episode after episode, was disappointment. <br /><br />Disappointment that the wrap-up of the week lacked tension and was always so neat. <br /><br />Disappointment that the main characters lectured to one another and citizens of other worlds, but rarely learned things about themselves. <br /><br />Disappointment that the great starship spent so much time simply ferrying supplies from one starbase to another instead of visiting brave new worlds. <br /><br />Disappointment that there was so little sense of urgency in the staging and performing of the critical scenes, etc.<br /><br />That said, there were also many, many episodes I loved. "Heart of Glory" was a Season One winner, in my book, and "Conspiracy" too. In season two, I liked the creepy mysteries of "Where Silence Has Lease" and "The Royale," and then there are the classics, to be sure, which I've mentioned before, like the introduction of the Borg in "Q Who."<br /><br />Anyway, so I don't come off as totally negative -- !!! --- I want to say that I completely agree with you in terms of that cameo by De Forest Kelley. <br /><br />That's a great moment in Star Trek history, and it really brings a tear to the eye. A great passing of the torch...even if the torch is soon dimmed afterwards.<br /><br />Thank you for this great post.<br /><br />Best,<br />JohnJohn Kenneth Muirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15629979615332893780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-58232762258299738892010-10-20T18:59:22.765-04:002010-10-20T18:59:22.765-04:00Will
Sincerely- thank you for your offer. I do ha...Will<br />Sincerely- thank you for your offer. I do have all of the DS9 episodes on standby along with all of TNG and all of Voyager and all of Enterprise and all of... ugh, you get the point. So much fun stuff to watch and so little time my friend.<br /><br />I loved your point about Q Will. I feel exactly as you put it about that character. He feels so underutilized to the point of being slightly annoying being there for me. Now, mind you, I'm not saying you felt he was annoying, but I definitely feel he is meant to be something so much more and in the two entries from Season One I was largely ho hum about his input as a character in the show. The scripts for which he was spotlighted were weak. This one may have been the better of the two if I recall.<br /><br />Anyway, loved your input there. I love Riker too with the beard! He's the man! Thank you as always, SFF.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-49325176739442874942010-10-20T15:48:40.874-04:002010-10-20T15:48:40.874-04:00Oh, and Riker is the reason I grew a beard in 9th ...Oh, and Riker is the reason I grew a beard in 9th grade and have only shaved it off twice since.Willhttp://secureimmaturity.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-43205895780343990782010-10-20T15:48:06.720-04:002010-10-20T15:48:06.720-04:00I like Q. I never considered him a 'villian...I like Q. I never considered him a 'villian' as many others have. I saw him more as the personification of a problem: someone or something that exists to make humanity excel.<br /><br />Encounter at Farpoint has some great visuals and some really bad ones (the farpoint 'creatures' are beautiful while other aspects are. . .not).<br /><br />Q is kind of the living thesis of TNG (and Roddenberry). A difficult being meant to challenge us. I like how TNG is bookended by his presence but I always felt they could have done so much more with his character and the problems he could have given them. He ended up becoming a gimmick in most of his episodes as oppossed to a truly compelling character.<br /><br />And then Voyager tried to humanize and ground him with three dimensions and mythology and totally shit all over the character. Q is a tortured soul. . .<br /><br />Excellent review, as always! Get on that DS9!!!!! (PS: email me if you want all seven seasons for free. I'd be happy to send them to you)Willhttp://secureimmaturity.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-83816604296821404802010-10-20T14:48:20.287-04:002010-10-20T14:48:20.287-04:00Ha! I have to admit, I do enjoy Riker with the be...Ha! I have to admit, I do enjoy Riker with the beard too.<br /><br />de Lancie is an entertaining guest. I wasn't crazy about the Q character in the two Season One episodes, but he is a fine actor. <br /><br />He was equally good in his appearances on Stargate SG-1.<br />Thanks.<br />SFFSFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1031498593064294214.post-85793147095906048052010-10-20T11:03:23.280-04:002010-10-20T11:03:23.280-04:00The presence of Q and DeLancie's awesome portr...The presence of Q and DeLancie's awesome portrayal go a long way and any episode he's in is a keeper. That being said, aesthetic-wise, STAR TREK: TNG didn't get better until Riker grew a beard! Man, he does not look good without facial hair, but I digress...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.com