From: kanamori@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Atsushi Kanamori)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: Upcoming Episode News/Spoilers  ST:TNG and ST:DSN
Date: 12 Apr 92 14:22:39 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University.

In article <1992Apr9.193838.18108@bnlux1.bnl.gov> schroede@bnlux1.bnl.gov (gary l. schroeder) writes:
>In article <1992Apr7.200654.16695@CSD-NewsHost.Stanford.EDU> kanamori@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Atsushi Kanamori) writes:
>>In article <CYBE5WE@taronga.com> bguillot@taronga.com (B.J. Guillot) writes:



>>>"Cost of Living" - this year's Lwaxana episode has Mom Troi taking a
>>>motherless Alexander under her wing.  It will feature a traditional
>>>Betazoid wedding, with, I think, Lwaxana herself as the bride (although
>>>I could be mistaken).  Guests and participants retain their clothes.
>>
>>I suspect this episode will become known as "The Cost of being a TNG Fan".
>>
>
>
>Atsushi, we're in agreement here!  Has some fundamental universal
>constant changed?

Nope. TNG just invoked a universal constant: bring Lwaxana and Alexander
together in an episode and you've got just about everyone covered. :-)



>>>"Imaginary Friend" - A child on board as an imaginary friend, but is it
>>>imaginary?  <no kidding>
>>
>>Hmm... three more episodes with kids (this one, "I, BORG" and "INNER LIGHT.")
>>Is that a record for number of kids in a season?
>
>I, unlike most others, liked "The Bonding".  

I didn't. I thought it was talky, repetitive, got off track with a
distracting "alien-mother" subplot and spoiled the dramatic potential 
with a preachy script and an impressively bad child actor. Except for the
Wesley angle, they botched that one famously.



>>>"Time's Arrow" - This year's season finale!  Data goes back in time to
>>>late 19th/early 20th century earth and meets Mark Twain.  NOTE: This
>>>episode was originally NOT a cliffhanger, but it is now.  
>>
>>Uh oh. Can you say "tacked-on-cliffhanger?" Why do I suspect part 2
>>will have at best, forced connection with part 1?
>>
>
>Well, if it's anything like Redemption II, you have reason to be
>suspicious.  I, on the other hand, am suspicious due to the fact that it
>wasn't originally intended to be a two-parter.  I must admit that the
>premise dosen't sound great, but then neither did "The First Duty".  

Hmm... unlike many others, I had high hopes for T1D. A lot of them
were fulfilled, some weren't.


>I'm
>not sure I understand Berman et al's reasoning that all TNG season
>enders _must_ be cliffhangers.  If ya don't have one, why force one? 

Simple: $ It's the big Hollywood trend that producers have so little
faith in their audience's staying power that they have to resort to
splashy gimmicks like those to keep them coming back.



>>>*  We'll be seeing more of Michelle Forbes, as Ensign Ro Larren, next
>>>   year.
>>
>>Another yawn. TNG may not be a 'soap in space', but they're sure starting
>>to stoop to a lot of soap opera gimmicks.
>
>I enjoy Ms. Forbes' character.  I think she adds a nice balance to the
>rest of the crew.  Somebody that Riker can go and get grumpy with
>instead of having to do it by himself all the time.  Besides, I've been
>waiting for an adversarial bridge officer for five years.  Something to
>shake up the rosy commeraderie that used to be in place.

I've already said my piece on this in my followup to Jason Snell. In short,
I'm all for more conflict on the bridge; but I want conflict between
well-rounded and interesting characters. I find Ro trite and shallow.



>While I agree that the Ferengi, if not used properly as the comic foils
>that they are, qualify as a "drek element", I disagree on the Ro and
>Cardassian points.  What makes you feel that the Cardassians are
>unworthy of appearing again?

Because they're so *bland*. There's nothing to distinguish them from
any one of the dozen other quarrelsome alien races that have shown up
on Trek -- they're not even visually interesting. Add the fact that
both their previous debuts have been D and F episodes respectively,
I see little logic in including them in the new series (let alone
promoting it as a hooker.)


. .        .       .                .        
: : : :. : :  :....: : .  ::.: .  ..: :    ..     : :    .
::::::::::.: :::::::.:::::::::::.:::::: :?.:::::..::::.:.:
------------ -------------------------- --------------------------
TNG Lifelines: From "Yesterday's Enterprise" To "Cause & Effect" --
  "Captain, we are getting unusual readings 20,000 km off the
   starboard bow." -- Worf, Worf, Worf and Ensign Ro.