From: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon)
Subject: Re: CONCATENATED CRITIQUES: TRUE-Q, A FISTFUL OF DATAS, QUALITY OF LIFE
Reply-To: rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Dept., Madison, WI
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 03:24:17 GMT

In <1992Nov22.203500.29096@u.washington.edu> gwangung@carson.u.washington.edu (Roger Tang) writes:
>	
>	OVERALL GRADES:
>	TRUE-Q:			2.4 (of a possible 4.0)
>	A FISTFUL oF DATAS:	3.4
>	QUALITY OF LIFE:	2.9

Well, those are all perhaps slightly higher grades than I would have given
them (and, indeed, DID give them), but...


>	About TRUE-Q.....

>	Another example was the easy resolution of Amandas dillemma. Very
>little time was spent developing it; she had no time to think about it, there
>was very little internal conflict. SHe had a very easy time deciding what
>she wanted to do. Feh. That's not drama.

Little about this episode was dramatic.  I think Q lost most of his dramatic
potential when he was featured as a mainly humorous character in "Deja Q".
Amanda's decision was just the icing (or mud) on the cake.

[...]
>	About THE QUALITY OF LIFE...

>	I liked this show. Unfortunately, I should have REALLY liked this
>show..

>	Like TRUE-Q, this show had a very workable premise marred by ham-handed
>craftsmanship in building climaxes. Forget about the crap about this
>episode copying HOME SOIL and EVOLUTION; that's something only True Fans
>really worry about. Determining life and sentience is something that is
>part and parcel of the Big-E's mission, and it's understandable that new
>shows may somewhat cover what's been done before. The REAL question is whether
>it's done BETTER.

This show did a lot more than "somewhat cover what's been done before"; it
trod not just the same ground, but almost the same footsteps.  Mechanical/
electronic creatures, who are able to improve upon their basic design, and
this leads to self-awareness.  Same stuff as "Evolution".  And then we have
the "Are they alive or aren't they alive" discussions - same stuff as "The
Measure Of A Man".  Barely even any variation on the themes.  It's all old.

Maybe only "true fans" worry about this stuff, but, well, I guess only "true
fans" worry about some of the subtler details of Shakespeare.  To the common
man, it just ain't useful, is that what you're saying, Roger?

So be it.  Let's toss "Romeo And Juliet" out of the curriculum and have
everyone read "West Side Story".  That should be enough for those who aren't
"true fans".

On another tack, I question how much life there is left in the "finding new
KINDS of life-forms" plot.  I contend that there's only as much life in it as
the writers can come up with NEW forms of life, ones which AREN'T just
variations on What Has Gone Before.  This didn't fit the bill.

-- 
Michael Rawdon				 rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin Computer Sciences Department, Madison, WI

"I think that (one of) TNG's problems is that it considers lacking action,
 humor and character interplay to be interchangable with cerebral (just like
 it often considers civility and lack of conflict interchangable with
 friendship)."
			- Atsushi Kanamori on rec.arts.startrek, 7 July 1991