From: mlsa@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (MICHAEL LAUREN SHERMAN)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: Quality of "Quality of Life"
Date: 21 Nov 92 07:07:04 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University

In article <Bxx0rK.FMv@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, jal41820@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Smiley) wr
ites:
>dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann) writes:
>:)In article <BxuHxF.LKB@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, kpm44977@uxa (Kevin P. McDonald) w
rites:
>:)> few comments on the latest TNG episode "The Quality of Life", but first...
>
>:)>O.K., now for some unsolicited opinions.
>:)>wasn't the core idea of this story already seen in [...] "Home Soil"?
>
>:)IMHO, this is the downfall of this episode.  It doesn't just use a previous
>:)idea, it steals wholesale from previous episodes:
>
>This should be fun...   :)
>
>:)  1. Unknown and unsuspected new life form is put in jeopardy by self-
>:)     centered and overly ambitious scientist [Home Soil, Evolution].
>
>In Home Soil, the scientists didn't have much of a clue they were dealing
>with a life form, and when the Enterprise did, they accepted it immediately;
>it was taking in energy to fuel itself, and reproducing. In Evolution, the
>crew was pretty convinced the nanites were alive. Here, the CREW can't even
>prove it definitely until the very end. The strugle is in this definition,
>not the crew overcoming the dificulty. And I think it's a little bit about
>helping one another.
>
>:)  2. The rights of machine intellegence is brought up [Measure of a Man,
>:)     Evolution, Offspring].  Unlike those, however, no new ground is explored
.
>
>This wasn't about the rights of machine intellegence as much as those episodes,
>or as much as it was about just rights of life forms.
>
>:)  3. Data shows he is able to take over the ship single-handedly whenever
>:)     he takes a mind to [Brothers]
>
>The transporters are the whole ship?
>
>:)  4. Riker performs in a manner that suggests he's /not/ good captain materia
l
>:)     [Rascals, Darmok, just to name two that come to mind]
>
>I don't see how Rascals showed that at all. Darmok could have, but that's an
>opinion of command style.
>
>:)  5. Characters are put in mortal danger, but everyone (except a walk-on
>:)     character) is safe and sound by the time the credits roll.
>:)     [virtually every episode ever made (TOS included)]
>
>Well, this isn't a reason the episode is any better or worse than any
>other. Yesterday's Enterprise did the same thing, but not many seemed to
>complain there. Maybe because, like there, it wasn't the main point. The
>point was in having the exocomps showing their willingness to help, and
>their self-sacrifice.
>
>:)Additionally, we have Picard and LaForge  put in danger by trechnology
>
>Actually, it was radiation. The fact many experiments that go wrong can
>produce harmful radiation seems quite palausible to me.
>
>:)introduced just for the episode, and rescued by trechnology just for the
>
>Well, considering the exocomps were the *point* of the episode, I think
>it rather appropriate. Besides, I thought you said above you're tired of
>seeing the same things over and over? Did you want an *old* solution?
>
>:)And there's another thing too.  This episode clearly establishes that the
>:)Federation now has the ability to create artificially intelligent machines
>:)on a wholesale scale.  Any takers on a bet we'll never see or hear of them
>:)again?
>
>Well, the lab was wrecked. Maybe the designs were wrecked with them. That
>takes care of that problem.
>
>--
>        Josh Laff              #     #
>email to: smiley@uiuc.edu     _       _     Hello! I am a signature virus!
>      (217) 384-6249         |#\_____/#|    Join the fun and copy mo*#(*&^!>.
>                              \#######/
>
Tasha Yar is Dead, or at least she was last time I checked, or at least she is
in this universe, or at least she had some sort of physical harm.  Insidently
"Why don't you all just get a life?  You sir, have you ever kissed a girl...
you took a show which I did for two years on a lark long ago and turned it
into a <royal pain in the ass>"  Wm. Shattner SNL  It's getting to the point
where y'all can't even suspend your disbelief long enough to piss.  Self
respecting people who just watch the show for enjoyment are forced behind
closed doors so some crazy guy in fake spock ears won't ask if you caught
episode 234234283490 of the next generation.
-- 
MICHAEL LAUREN SHERMAN
758-0207
MLSA

"I really do appreciate the fact you're sitting here, you're voice sounds so
wonderful but your face don't look too clear so barmaid bring a pitcher,
another round of brew, why don't we get drunk and screw?"- J. Buffett
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current