http://www.idkfa.com/v3 idkfa: syndicated http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6496 Maybe the cheese is more bearable when young? Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 29 May 2014 17:37:55 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6496 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6495 Got a text from my dad. He said that my niece (almost 8 years old now) requested to watch ST:TNG. I asked how I could help. He said he had seasons 2 through 7 already, so they were probably good. The purist in me says she should have to watch season 1. Perhaps when she is older. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 29 May 2014 17:11:52 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6495 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6463 It made me want Whoopi Goldberg's hat. That would make a great Kentucky Derby hat. conrad@idkfa.com (conrad) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 24 May 2014 23:02:52 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6463 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6462 Great article. Practically brought a tear to my eye ;) Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 24 May 2014 21:10:22 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6462 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6461 Relevant conrad@idkfa.com (conrad) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 24 May 2014 15:29:07 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6461 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6460 I watched that 20 years ago... holy fuck. I remember lamenting with my mom how I knew it was over because it was a "Series Finale" and not a "Season Finale" in the TV guide. Pre-internet days were so full of mystery! Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Fri, 23 May 2014 19:31:08 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6460 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6459 Original airdate of "All good things..." ... May 23, 1994 Today's date: May 23, 2014 Have a nice weekend! kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Cognitive Surplus Fri, 23 May 2014 19:16:53 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=6459 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=5317 TNG, Hollow Pursuits Article: http://tederick.tumblr.com/post/56876535461/st-tng-3x21-hollow-pursuits When “Hollow Pursuits” was written, we all thought “Virtual Reality” – of the type for which the holodeck represents the ne plus ultra – was in store for us in the immediate future. This didn’t prove out, of course, or at least not in fantasy environments which are as clearly demarcated as “now you’re in the holodeck; now you’re not.” Instead, fantasy and identity fucked for about twenty years and had a bajillion creepy social media babies, and if this generation is having understandable growing pains handling it, the next few decades’ worth of children are going to be some really strange dudes. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 30 Jul 2013 12:04:42 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=5317 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3702 Well, I've moved on to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia now, so I guess there's that. One of these days I'll have to watch Arrested Development, Mad Men, and Breaking Bad, I guess. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:13:14 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3702 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3701 (excitedly awaits John's response in 5 months) Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:11:55 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3701 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3700 In this case, it wasn't re-watching for the most part, it was watching for the first time, as I hadn't seen upwards of 95% of TNG. I didn't have access to a TV during school that wasn't already dedicated to Friends or PTI. And sometimes... sometimes you just have to acknowledge your roots. As for my complaint about believability, it comes down to the quality of storytelling. We live in a culture of cynicism, and on top of that, my brain has a bad habit of voraciously flagging logical inconsistencies when it's running on idle. This doesn't mean I can't or won't enjoy a story despite its flaws, but it certainly makes things harder when I have to work uphill to constantly say "Ok, fine, I have to accept this." The quality of a story, I feel, is directly proportional to how hard I have to work to overcome bad storywriting. As a (bad, amateur, bloggy) writer myself, overcoming these things takes an additional path: "If I was the writer, could I have done better?" Sometimes I say no, as I recognize that certain plot points, certain character choices, certain points of inconsistency are kept because of the decisions of other writers, other points of "canon" that are in direct conflict with a potentially more interesting bit of storytelling. But other times... other times the violations of the rules of storywriting are hard to accept. I've said these somewhere else, but I'll say them again: If the plot is driven better by a character saying nothing at all, then have them say nothing at all. The audience will believe in the impossible, but not the improbable. Take for instance to concept of the pattern buffer for the transporters in TNG. In earlier episodes, people are brought back to life because an informational copy of a person is stored in the computer after transport. However, in later seasons, this is absolutely forgotten, ignored, or brushed under the carpet with kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:08:07 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3700 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3699 Get your Douglas Adams out of my Gene Roddenberry! kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:03:02 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3699 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3698 Interesting post, still don't understand why you devote so much time to re-watching the Star Trek series when there is so much more good entertainment to move on to, but no judgement, I re-watched the TMNT cartoons on VHS, Clear and Present Danger and The Rock more times than I can count. Pet peeve I try not to let bother me, but usually does because I'm an ass hole: Suspension of disbelief in entertainment medias, regardless of classification of Science Fiction. Don't understand why people would be dissatisfied with something because they don't find it believable. I typically try to learn from medias outside of entertainment, and even then I just end up forgetting because I have a tough time internalizing concepts that don't interest me in general (I don't know how I'm making it work in the engineering world). Are people trying to learn from television and movies, does that set certain movies apart from the pack? I think you shut yourself off to a lot of quality product with this notion and set a standard too high to meet, thus creating an inevitable destiny of disappointment in your movie and television choices. Yeah, Chuck fucks my shit up... Johnny@idkfa.com (Johnny) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:52:04 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3698 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3697 "The answer is 42!" "What's the question, then?" kitacek@idkfa.com (kitacek) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:36:29 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3697 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3696 Love the finale, I think it wraps up the series quite nicely. "I should have done this a long time ago." "You were always welcome." In any case, the show definitely has its flaws... and I've come to notice there are far fewer 'great' episodes than what I remembered before we started. However, the writers didn't just learn from their experience with TNG to apply to BSG; they also applied it to DS9. So just wait, my friend, for the glory to come! Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:11:11 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3696 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3695 ST:TNG, All good things..., Episode 725 It's... over. It's finally... over. Well. The Next Generation, that is. There is, of course, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise, The Original Series, Original Series movies, Next Generation movies, Star Trek 2009... this... trek through the stars continues... The final episode of TNG is satisfying. It is arguably some of the better storytelling in the series, ably combining the components from the early seasons with the later, and even beyond. The finale was about perspective, that is, showing the progression of the show from the perspective of what the writers started with, and where they wanted to go. And even though the "moving through time" styled episodes had been done multiple times, this one seemed to finally get it right. As for how I feel about TNG at the end... I feel that it got away with a lot. As I've mentioned, watching TNG as a kid had a kind of wondrous feel to it, in that my child-like wonder happily devoured the treknobabble that drove the plots and explained away why they couldn't just shut the damn holodeck off. I didn't understand any more when I was young than I do now, but damned if there wasn't a good reason if Geordi or Data said so. Watching as an adult... I had to actively suspend my disbelief for much of the time. Maybe that's because there have been other great shows in the Star Trek franchise and the scifi genre in general that focus much more on gritty realism and character-driven plots. By comparison, some of the episodes of TNG, even in the latest seasons, were absolutely intolerable. And I feel that they were largely due to mistakes that the writers made early on, either by ignoring certain character traits, or not developing them enough in order to make their importance feasible later. Why is it that episodes featuring Reginald Barclay, a secondary guest character, are often far and beyond those focusing on Deanna Troi? Why is kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 20 Oct 2011 03:20:29 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3695 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3693 No, this is why we can't have racially sensitive friends. Or black friends. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:06:15 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3693 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3692 This is why we can't have nice friends. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:27:11 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3692 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3691 It's those luscious lips of his. And because his native tongue is Mandinka. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:32:49 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3691 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3690 If that's the case, then Levar Burton needs to enunciate. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:20:25 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3690 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3689 Well, I did a little more research, and it's apparently a theta flux distortion. However, it is the same phenomena as you described above. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:17:13 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3689 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3688 ST:TNG, Emergence, Episode 723 The Enterprise starts tripping balls, has a baby made out of tinker toys and lightning, and shocks be bejeezus out of Geordi when navigation relays short out. Also, new physical phenomena: the "data flux." Apparently, this is the phenomena in the Star Trek universe when the writers stop caring, and start making fun of us for accepting the Trek-babble. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:40:04 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3688 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3686 Seriously, adopt a kid that's less of a pussy. Fuck you, Alexander Rashenko. Anyhow, we're so close to being done Josh, I can taste it. I watched Sub Rosa last night and didn't kill myself, so I should be good to go until the series finale (which is awesoooooooome). Maybe we should watch these last few together?? Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:57:37 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3686 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3685 ST:TNG, Firstborn, Episode 721 Wrapping up Alexander's character. And by wrapping up, I mean not really resolving anything. Will he choose the path of the warrior? Will he make his father proud? Will the time paradox introduced by his late-life travels screw things up further as Alexander grows up to realize he met himself when he was young? Or, how would future Alexander known which of his past fathers to return to, given that Worf was switching between realities not 10 episodes prior? ... The Klingon bat'leth opera / street performance was pretty awesome, and something I'd expect to see during a Klingon holiday. Also, I understand it's all about the firstborn son with Klingons, but does Worf not have any further children? kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:04:00 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3685 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3684 ST:TNG, Journey's End, Episode 720 This episode had been mentioned to me a few times throughout my watching of the series. It's "the one where Wesley goes off with the Traveler." Yeah, yeah, Wesley is special. I've had that beaten into me the entire series. Finally, we sort of see why, and get some closure on it. That's pretty much what they have to do in these last few episodes: wrap up secondary characters with plot ties to the mains. But seriously: this episode aired in 1994. Which I seem to recall was long after calling Native Americans "Indians" in any context was a more than a little bit offensive. But apparently, the 24th century has all but forgotten that, as well as the horrible treatment of any religious or cultural heritage presented in the show. Seriously: Wesley goes on a spirit journey. People talk about speaking with their spirit animals. And thinly-veiled references are made to the righting of ancient wrongs. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:57:18 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3684 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3669 ST:TNG, Eye of the Beholder, Episode 718 IT WAS ALL A DREAM. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:48:03 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3669 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3662 Damnit, I knew I recognized her. I kept yelling at the screen (Erik's out of town) "Picard, why aren't you giving her the same speech you gave Wesley when he killed his classmate?" I do sort of like Nurse Ogawa. In fact, probably the biggest appeal to the episode is having some fresh blood on the show, even if all we hear about for Ogawa is Dr. Crusher asking awkward questions about Ogawa's shaky relationships. In Trek terms, that's like an encyclopedia written about a red-shirt. I'm guessing Sam went the way of Ben, the waiter. Which brings up the question: if you aren't a member of Starfleet, or family of Starfleet, how do you get on board the Enterprise? And why, of all things, do you wait tables in a society that has eliminated the need for currency? Or food preparation? Or food transport? Is it... fulfilling to learn about Troi's love for chocolate, only to have her snap at you "Don't tempt me!" when you bring it up again? kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:16:50 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3662 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3661 Niven makes up for it by having planets with rocket propulsion. And Teela Brown. And a tripedal race of ultra-paranoid spacefarers. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:07:28 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3661 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3660 How dare you speak ill of Larry Niven. The gauntlet has been thrown, good sir! Meet me at Ringworld at high noon for a showdown! (Sidenote: can Ringworld even have a high noon?) conrad@idkfa.com (conrad) Cognitive Surplus Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:08:02 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3660 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3657 As least they didn't try to make like space tartan or something. Although, can you imagine space plaid? I want to wear it now. Like the ultimate future hipster. Wilber@idkfa.com (Wilber) Cognitive Surplus Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:04:14 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3657 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3656 For the record, "Rascals" and "Genesis" are two of my favorite eps. I love lower decks for a few reasons: Nurse Ogawa! Taurik becomes Vorik, a recurring character on Voyager. I guess technically they are different characters, but I like to think they are the same, just like Nick Locarno and Tom Paris. Speaking of Nick Locarno, Sito was originally from that episode! It's a clever call back, and it sort of validates her missteps from the academy to give her life in the line of duty. I always wondered what happened to Sam, though. Wilber@idkfa.com (Wilber) Cognitive Surplus Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:02:21 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3656 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3654 ST:TNG, Lower Decks, Episode 715 If I had to describe the plot of this episode, it would probably sound simplistic and trite: A few low ranking officers and civilians serving on the Enterprise vie for promotions while dealing with a Cardassian spy plot. It almost sounds as bad as "Something turns the crew's senior staff into children" or "A virus turns the crew into their primordial ancestral animals. (both are episodes, both are... less than great) This one I actually enjoyed. It was well-written, introduced new characters I could immediately relate to, and actually felt slight attachment to towards the end, particularly when one of them died in the line of duty. A successful hero's arc. I also laughed out loud when Picard completely tore one of the ensigns a new one. I liked it less that they later explained the dress-down as yet another example of Picard's amazing leadership (something to the affect of "I wanted you on this ship, despite your past mistakes, to give you a second chance," or something). I honestly would have preferred it just have been a side of Picard we haven't seen since the first season: the one who hated children, didn't get along with anybody but the senior staff, and spent his vacation on Risa reading Shakespeare instead of wenching. I miss that Picard a little. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:48:21 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3654 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3653 ST:TNG, Sub Rosa, Episode 714 This episode is absolute shit. It does the exact same sci-fi trope that made me hate reading Mote in God's Eye. That is: "An entire planet that represents culture/country X." In this case, X is Scotland. Which, in the set of cultures/countries that might represent X, Scotland is the silliest. How long does it take the Federation to terraform a planet? To move a few million people from one planet to the next? To have those colonists/tourists/travelers make homes for themselves, have children, and pass their own inherited culture down to their children? Would there still be a Scottish brogue after 300 years of the Star Trek universal translator? Would mutton chops and flannel still be fashionable? I think, given the timeframe it would take to accomplish such things, the culture (whether it was Scottish or not), would scarcely represent its original form. Exposure to alien culture, or no. (Also, I should note, they do this same trope in the Ender Saga, but with the subtle twist that entire planets represent certain religions and philosophies. This concept is probably equally silly, but somehow, a little more imaginable, or at least palatable, in terms of what could possibly happen, or what would remain in a culture after faster-than-light travel.) kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:39:43 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3653 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3652 ST:TNG, Homeward, Episode 713 Medium-quality episode. We're introduced to yet another previously-unmentioned (I think) member of Worf's adopted family. And they have a really weird relationship. Whatever. Normally I'd skip a blurb about this one, as it's kind of a filler episode, but I wanted to bring the attention the fact that Worf has to undergo facial reconstruction surgery at least 3 times to maintain a disguise amongst a pre-Warp culture. Also, awesome that Picard goes so far in upholding the Prime Directive to let an entire planet and its indigenous culture die in plasma storms. Less awesome that it comes to light, after all the bullshit people have pulled with the transporters in the past 6 seasons, nobody has put a password on them. Seriously. O'brien? Worf? You are goddamn idiots. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:22:37 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3652 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3651 (working through a backlog of notes) ST:TNG, The Pegasus, Episode 712 Interesting episode... though, thinking back on it, I'm seeing now a lot of influence from this episode on Battlestar Galactica. A whole lot of warcrimes, a whole lot of "we did what we had to," a whole lot of questioned loyalty... and they named the ship exactly the same. That's fine, though. Got to see Locke from Lost when he was younger (but still bald). Also, as a shining example of how my brain processes information: I'm starting to identify inconsistencies with how the audible feedback on the panels on the Enterprise. Riker entered a command, it was successful, and the panel issued a "something wrong happened" chirp. (flips table) kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Sat, 08 Oct 2011 14:15:31 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3651 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3637 This episode is one of my favorites, although it makes absolutely no sense from a scientific standpoint (like much of Star Trek, really). But they have fun with it, and I think Worf does a pretty good job. I love what-if scenarios waaaaaaaaay too much. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:54:30 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3637 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3635 ST:TNG, Parallels, Episode 711 Interesting episode, if a little... hmm. I don't know what's a good word for it. "Explain-y?" The writers at this point have stopped apologizing about the bizarre, pseudo-scientific language they're using at this point to drive plot points. I wonder if it's almost be better if people weren't trying to "open spacetime rifts" with "low energy warp fields" so that Riker can get a better visual. Just say, "I'm attempting to compensate for the visual display." Or really, anything better than nonsense. But yes: decent episode. Worf is trapped among parallel quantum eventualities, and has to figure out a way back to his "own universe." Lots of fun is had with the differences between universes, from Data's eye color, to the lighting on the bridge, to whether Wesley Crusher is still on the Enterprise (possibly in a universe where he wasn't held back a year or so after failing his entrance tests). I also appreciated that the writers established consequences for Worf's actions, even though in terms of canon, his universe is the only one that mattered. I liked it a lot that they acknowledged that in the universe he was leaving, he was actually abandoning Diana without hopes of having her actual husband return. Even more awesome is when one of the hundreds of Enterpises that end up collapsing "into" a single reality don't want Worf to go back, as their universe has apparently been led to destruction at the hands of the Borg. Uber-beard Riker yells at Riker Prime "I'm not going back!" and begins firing on Worf's shuttle as it moves to close the "rift." Riker Prime is forced to kill a version of himself from another universe. Apparently, there isn't room for three Rikers in a given universe... two is fine, though. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:32:28 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3635 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3619 At first I thought this episode was dick cheese, but man, leave it up to Patrick Stewart to make shit shine. Even the oh-so-cliched forbidden romance. You know, I was thinking there were better episodes in this season, but I guess I'll have to remain satisfied with character driven plots. The one with Data's mom is kind of interesting, if dull (SPOILER ALERT). Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 28 Sep 2011 03:41:00 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3619 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3617 ST:TNG, Attached, Episode 708 I remember seeing a teaser trailer commercial on TV for this one, where they spoiled the entire episode where Dr. Crusher tells Picard, "You're in love with me." For some reason, I never got a chance to see the episode until now. An despite the bizarre subterfuge / "the Federation is holier than thou" side plots, the concept of being forced to share thoughts with another person remained a compelling plot point. Picard is forced to reveal his feelings towards Crusher as a result of being joined at the head by a strange and unexplained thought transceiver. I like this concept for a lot of reasons. Mostly, because if such a thing were to exist, I would find it infinitely entertaining to experience the foreign landscape of other peoples' mind, and also to watch them reel and writhe at mine. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:44:48 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3617 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3590 ST:TNG, Interface, Episode 703 Geordi can interface with a fancy probe... which they've only now decided to use after 7 years they've been beaming into exploding starships. An interesting concept, at least. And again, Geordi's brain is forfeit when it comes to getting a plot point across. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:50:55 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3590 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3589 ST:TNG, Liasons, Episode 702 This... was not a very good episode. In fact, I think the concept was pretty much flawed from the start. And that it's surprising that this episode ever made it into production. ...It was fun to see Worf throw an ambassador across the room in the name of diplomacy, though. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:02:00 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3589 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3584 Compared to the rest of season 6, despite some of the interesting plot developments, as an episode, I thought it was a little weak. But it is the case that since we're into later seasons most of the episodes are pretty awesome, so perhaps I'm just getting spoiled. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:59:24 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3584 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3583 This episode is way more awesome than you let on. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:11:54 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3583 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3582 ST:TNG, Descent (Parts 1 and 2), Episodes 626 and 701 Interesting as a season finale. I generally enjoy the episodes with Data and Lore. The characterizations Brent Spiner does between the two characters is fun, if a little... heavy handed. Considerably so in Data's emotion'd state, as though he's only supposed to be experiencing anger and hatred as a result of Lore's mechanism, he seems to emote almost as much as Lore himself. In terms of quality of episode... well, I fell asleep towards the end of the first one. I did like that the Enterprise's C-squad managed to activate the metaphasic shield technology brought up in previous episodes, as well as kill a Borg ship by poking at a sun. Also, Geordi has his brain systematically replaced by nanomachines throughout the episodes, potentially causing brain damage or death. Picard and Troi? Get to chill in a comfortable Borg prison cell. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:27:49 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3582 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3579 ST:TNG, Timescape, Episode 625 Pretty decent episode. I get the sense from this episode that all of the actors are "comfortable," if that's a way to describe it. Everyone knows their characters, and seem to be having fun with it. Deanna and Picard are doing accents, Data completely misses a sexual innuendo (and ends up being hilarious in his own right), and Geordi again faces the peril that only a black man in space can. Also, reminds me of playing the game Braid (with all the time manipulation and such). Episode 151 of 353, 202 left to go. (42% watched), @ 5 / week, TNG will be done by: Thu Oct 20 AKDT 2011 kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:47:44 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3579 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3542 Well the title of the episode is in reference to "A Fistful of Dollars" probably has something to do with the crappy spaghetti western theme.. But from the description, multiple Datas? Sounds pretty cool. Governator@idkfa.com (Governator) Cognitive Surplus Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:36:47 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3542 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3528 ST:TNG, Starship Mine, Episode 618 Man, lots going on in this episode. Data tries out small talk. Chatty Starfleet officers are vaporized. Tuvok is subdued by Picard, hypo-sprayed, and left unconscious to be incinerated in a baryon particle bath. Probably best summed up by Data's line: "It has been quite a day, has it not?" Thinking this is the writers' attempt to put more "action" into TNG. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:47:37 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3528 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3505 ST:TNG, Tapestry and Birthright, Episodes 615-617 (Episode spoilers) Picard effectively "dies," and is shown (by Q) what could have been as a result of different decisions made when he was young. As a result of taking the "safer" route and avoiding getting stabbed through the heart (literally), he's shown a lackluster career in a lackluster life. He demands of Q to return him to his past life, where he dies a Starfleet Captain rather than a Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Astrophysics department. He even has an emasculating blue shirt rather than the captain-y red. A goddamn horrible episode to watch after coming home from a frustrating day at work. Okay, Q... I've seen enough. Birthright was interesting enough, even if it was the same old what-it-means-to-be-Klingon story. A decent two-parter, and had a fun sequence (that was ignored in the second half) where Data was dreaming. Oh, and Doctor Bashir for some reason was on the Enterprise? DS9 started airing three months prior, so I guess they were doing some sort of crossover. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) Cognitive Surplus Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:49:02 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3505 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3502 Well, if you point at your crotch instead, I think they'd probably buy it. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:13:49 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3502 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3500 Sometimes when people tell me "you can't do that" I want to yell this and point at my neck. But I don't think it would go over well. Wilber@idkfa.com (Wilber) Cognitive Surplus Tue, 06 Sep 2011 18:08:05 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3160&msg_id=3500