From: tlynch@cco.caltech.edu (Timothy W. Lynch)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: Re: Another 3 in 1 Opinionated Review (OUTPOST...LONELY)
Date: 13 Apr 92 22:23:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: cco.1992Apr13.222326.5819
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

kanamori@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Atsushi Kanamori) writes:
>In article <1992Apr10.224218.1249@cco.caltech.edu> tlynch@cco.caltech.edu (Timothy W. Lynch) writes:
>>kanamori@Xenon.Stanford.EDU (Atsushi Kanamori) writes:

>>>THE LAST OUTPOST
>>>----------------

>>I'm not even sure I'd put the first thirty under "great".  Far superior to 
>>the second half, to be sure, but great?

>More "great" as in "we're off to a to solid start with a laudable premise --
>great" rather than "Great -- another YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE." 

Well, that's better, but I'm still not sure I'd go quite that far.  It's been
a long, long time since I saw this one, though; if I refreshed my memory, I
might think differently.

>>>This episode was definitely a director's show, and to its credit, 
>>>the directing, FX and camerawork are breathtaking. 
>>
>>To say the least.  This also, of course, marked the start of Picard's 
>>problem with turbolifts.  Here, "We'll Always Have Paris", "Night Terrors",
>>"Disaster"...one wonders why he hasn't switched to site-to-site beaming
>>all the time.  :-)

>"Is there some reason you don't want my atoms scattered all over space..."

Heh.  Of course, Picard is hardly a Bones-clone.

>>I think what this really reminded me of was a somewhat watered-down _The
>>Wounded Sky_.  Some of the problems you mention certainly make the show
>>significantly weaker than said novel, but it had so many *good* things to
>>it (the Wes/Traveler plot being the most prominent so far as "important"
>>character development was concerned) that it still blew away the competition.

>The Wes/Traveler plot was the problem for me; it didn't work as well as
>it could have. As for character development -- WN1HGB changed
>the STATUS of Wesley and Picard, but that was due largely to external
>factors (i.e. the Traveler gave Picard a hint.) Neither character really
>*grew* as a direct result of an experience in this outing.

Picard had been slowly getting more patient with Wes as it was; all the 
Traveler did was give him a little push.  And the *method* by which he 
chose to give Wes the freedom to learn was entirely up to him, I think.

>>They were all right, though they don't stand out four years later the way
>>Picard and his mother (or the 'lift :-) ) do.

>Another can't-resist: hear that Crosby, your acting is being compared
>to a turbolift. Better shape up :-)

:-)

>>>And my, but it was nice to see some INTERESTING alien voice and makeup 
>>>design for a change! 
>>
>>The voices; yeah, I suppose.  The makeup:  ehhh.  I'll side with Colm Meaney
>>on this one;  "I mean, I was stuck guarding a bunch of DOG-people!"

>It was a helluva lot better than the "human with a skin problem" motif
>they use 95% of the time! :-)

I'm not even sure of that.  It's more involved in some ways, but it reeked
of poorly-done "Doctor Who" aliens to me.  (Nothing against DW; it just
needs work in the alien-makeup department.  :-) )

>I do wonder why Mark Altman called it "one of the first season's most
>inept installments" (not that someone who gives a 3 out of 4 to THE BONDING
>and 2.5 to JUSTICE is anyone whose ratings I'll take very seriously :-)

Altman is someone I ceased to pay any attention to years ago.  Our tastes
just differ too strongly; the two above are good examples.  :-)

Tim Lynch
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc