From: jsblau@panix.com (Jonathan Blau)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: "Star Trek Lite" - Opinions on Season Six (SPOILERS)
Date: 15 Nov 92 22:00:32 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC

Spoilers below for season six episodes to date (Time's Arrow II
through A Fistful of Datas):

























I've followed the reviews posted here of the season's first eight
episodes and many of you seem to be disappointed.  I have been pleased
with this season's shows, but I do acknowledge that the show has
changed tenor - "Star Trek Lite" as I wrote in the Subject above.  My
thesis is that although the themes may be less than serious science
fiction, the show has taken a lighter turn to explore the characters
and their lives more than the galaxy.  (My guess is that Deep Space
Nine is the attempt to bring back the exploration shows you're
missing.  We'll have to see if it is successful.)

At episode 134, TNG must be around the 90 percentile mark in terms of
longevity for a TV series.  Paramount is pumping out 26 a year, more
than most network shows (Michael Brown: help me out here if I am
wrong).  The writers are looking for new situations, and it's just
getting hard to be original without the kinds of plot "cheating" many
critics here have accused.

As science fiction goes, the plot lapses and contrivances of this
season are a problem.  I've read your complaints, and most of them are
valid as far as they go.  But I don't find them detracting from the
show because at the time I was able to suspend disbelief.  I think
that I wasn't bothered by them because they spent just enough time to
expose a problem and then went on: those subspace particles in Schisms
or the Ferengi takeover of the ship in Rascals, as two examples.  The
spotlight was never on the "contrivance" long enough for it to appear
as a contrivance to me.  Obviously, some of you disagree.

Perhaps there could have been a scene added here or there to make
things hang together better.  But I like what we've gotten instead a
whole lot more.  We've had better story pacing, character development
or some bit of business that's been fun.

Every show of the season has had some of this, and I've loved it:
Geordi and Bev reading for the "play" in Times Arrow II, with Bev
righting Geordi's upside-down book; Barclay, O'Brien and LaForge on
the transporter in Realm of Fear: "It's just the safest way to
travel"; Troi studing her body in the mirror in Man of the People;
Data and Scotty in Ten Forward in Relics: "It's ... green"; the
classic "Ode to Spot" in Schisms; the look on Q's face after Amanda
sends him flying across the room in True Q; the school computer in
Rascals: "I can't do that.  Do you want to play a game?"; Worf's
deadpan "So, we're in Law Enforcement" in A Fistful of Datas.  (I
admit it, A Fistful of Datas was just one long bit of business, and
I'm still laughing.)

The dramatic elements have been present as well, but they are more
psychological instead of action-oriented.  The best example so far was
the holodeck scene in Schisms where they recreate the operating table.
The confrontations in Realm of Fear were nearly all in the
"psychological" category.  The lamest show so far, Relics, fell flat
for me because its action sequences seemed forced.  The best scene
from that episode was Picard and Scotty on the Constitution class
bridge on the holodeck, another character-oriented scene.  The best
action-oriented show so far was Rascals, over which we've had many
bitter complaints.  The "kids" coming to the rescue was fine: at least
Wesley didn't just figure it out all by himself in the last act.

I expect The Quality of Life to be in the "Star Trek Lite" category as
well.  After the holiday break, we get the Deep Space Nine lead-in
with the two part Chain of Command.  I expect this to bring in more of
the elements that many of you are missing.  If this is the case, and
they continue to execute well, I think Season Six will turn out fine.
-- 
Jonathan Blau        jsblau@panix.com      cmcl2!panix!jsblau
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current