From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: My beef with TIME'S ARROW II **SPOILERS**
Date: 27 Sep 92 19:05:13 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <BuyzII.6KE@news.cso.uiuc.edu> btd43733@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (BTDonovan) writes:
>dave@cs.arizona.edu (Dave Schaumann) writes:
>

Well, I, for one, was very disappointed with the sequel to an episode
I found very disjointed.  Spoilers follow.


>>It seems clear to me that TNG writers simply have no clue how to set-up
>>and then resolve a good 2-part episode.  Their follow-ups have been
>>consistently disappointing in comparison to the set-ups.  I wish they'd
>>either get it right, or just give it up.
>Although I have not seen TAII (thanks WRSP/WCCU :(, as I understand it, the
>script wasn't even written (well, finished, anyway) when they showed TA1!

These differences in tone between the two halves of STNG two-parters are
very annoying, for one thing.

Specifically, these points struck me from TAII:


The aliens, mysterious and intriguing in part I, were not developed
at all.  Bummer.  The possibility of developing them as "angels of
mercy, taking the suffering" seemed only hinted at.  I supposed I
could have missed the little hints or some dialogue, but I would
have preferred it if Picard were to be faced with a choice to leave
them be, as they are part of history, and their preying on the suffering,
stopping this suffering, was fully developed.  Picard might then
actually leave them alone as a necessary part of Earth's past --
a "natural" predator of humans -- and not interfere with this, since,
in this case, Earth is a developing culture that he should not 
interfere with.  Not very PC for Picard to okay the killing of humans, but
certainly a more interesting story.  And I'm betting it was considered
and dismissed primarily because of the non-PC aspect.

"Okay, here's a sophisticated time-travel device.  Can't figure out
how to work, let alone how to get it to go to a particular moment
in history."  Geordi & Data:  "Well, <babble, babble, babble> shoot
it with a phaser!"  I'm the first to defend hard science fiction
that is somehow consistent.  I like Trek's occasional "techno-babble"
when it is internally consistent or at least consistent with an
extension on known science.  But this was really stretching it.

Data: "Yes, I've studied this head.  I've got it hooked up to the
frammistron.  I know the level of degradation is 12%.  I've opened
it up."  Geordi: "Hey!  There's a piece of metal in there!"  I
wonder about Data being able to be programmed by a guy in a cave with
a piece of iron filing.  I wonder about the durability of an android
that could get a piece of dirt in his hair and malfunction.  "Oh, 
but you see, the port only opens when...  and Picard is real smart...
and the head is off... so..."  Man, this is really stretching it.
Then, "Oh, 12% isn't so much!  See?  Data's just fine, now!"

They must have run out of time.  Picard and Guinan's "special"
relationship, beyond friendship and family?   "Well, Guinan and
he spoke for several minutes, so you can see what a strong
bond that would develop!"  Well, let's hope there's a lot on
the cutting room floor.

Jack:  "That's Mark Twain?"  Twain: "The name's Clemens.  As in the
name I never use.  As in the name that is not the one you will see
in print.  For this one moment, I want to make sure all the stupid 
viewers hear me say that."  What's the point of this?  "Well, Mark,
he was making a personal observation, so..."  I guess.  Little
things like this get annoying.

Twain changes from a philosophizing intellect in part I to a
bumbling idiot in part II.  They were both good characters,
but a tad inconsistent.  Further, we all got the connection
between Twain's futuristic adventure and his "Connecticut
Yankee" story.  But these were written before his STNG
adventure.  So what's the point?  And after his "Greatest
Adventure", to use his words, he never writes anyting about
it again?  Sure, this could be explained.  "He was bored with
timetravel after that, see?"  Right.

Twain's speech at the end was so slapped on with the bluntness
of a sledge on the neck that it made me cringe.  And the idiot
crew pondering how to get Picard back.  "So, if only one can
return... hmmmm...  Someone would have to stay in the 19th century...
Who could it be.... hmmmmm."  Inconspicuous Time Traveler Standing
in Back of Ryker: "Gosh.  Umm...  I don't know...  How about...
um... me?  See, I've got more books to write.  Not about this,
my Greatest Adventure, however.  Just.. stuff..."

Let's ponder the significance of the serpent-head cane creature/
machine.  All kinds of biblical imagery could have been evoked.
Maybe it was...  Suprise!  It doesn't mean anything!  "Oh, it
did, but it was VERY subtle!"  Sure.  It had so much potential.
The Angels of Mercy.  The Temptation of timetravel to save lives
by the good guys.  The whole schmear.  I can envision the writers of
Part I going, "So, here's all this Good Stuff.  Man, Go Crazy!!
Use it!!  Capitalize on all this setup!!  So?  What are you going
to do?!?"  Part II Writers:  "Nothin'.  We got other stuff to do."
Wonder how many arguments and fists on tables there were?"

Hey, here's Troi with the Famous Visitor from the Past!!  What's
she going to show us??  A  HALLWAY!?!?    "No, Mr. Twain.  You
don't understand.  This is a SPACE HALLWAY!!  Get it?!?  Besides,
you don't want to change the future!  We KNOW you won't remember
being in SPACE!   But we figure that if you see a holodeck or a
replicator, you'll figure out how to build one out of that pocket
watch and some iron filings! "

Now, it occurs to me that Picard is watching Guinan all the while
knowing that her entire race is going to be almost destroyed by the
Borg.  Picard is just smiling away.  Sure, what can he tell her?
But shouldn't there be even a hint of sadness?  Stewart's probably
the best actor on television.  Why did the director or writers not
do SOMETHING with this?

The watch?  "With love, SLC"?  Who does he love?  Are they really
his initials.  I assume so.  Doesn't seem to have much of a point
in the show, tho'.

"We have to get Picard out of there, NOW!!  We have to Destroy the
Evil Aliens, PRONTO!!  Even if Picard is in there!!"  Why is it
so suddenly urgent?  I'm sure we could come up with something.
The rubber band is snapping as we speak.

"Picard was whacking Data's head with this rock.  This is what he
coded into the positronic brain:  Picard is concerned that the 
shape of the framilotric waveform would not be conducive to...
Hmmmm.  Whack-thud-whack-whack.. Ahh.  The efficient trans
mogrification of the indulent incoming sensory pulse."
Yeah, I've booted computers in binary.  But I've never been
able to convey a sense of "concern" or ideas the complexity of
these in the loader file.  "Well, Picard had studied Data's
Special Morse Android Code, and he spent several days without
sleep tapping in those codes, and..."  Possible, I guess.

"Geordi!  Take off that VISOR!  It would look suspicious that you have
a metal screen over your eyes!  No one would suspect the BLINKING
LIGHTS STICKING OUT OF YOUR TEMPLES!  NOW STAND NEXT TO THE
FRENCH ALBINO WITH BLACK HAIR."  Of course, the thing that makes
Sam Clemens suspicious is that a guy from France plays poker
well...  There's that Razor-Sharp Twain Mind.

"Yes, the name's London.  Jack London.  As in Jack London. As in
a guy named London, first name Jack."  Yes, we get it.  Now, let's
figure out how they use this gimmick to do something interesting
in Part II.  "Name's London.  Jack London.  I'm going to travel."
Say, London?  Or can I call you Jack?  Did this great adventure
of being in contact with space travelers from the future and
befriending an android make an impression on you and Change The
Direction of Your Life?  "The name's London.  Jack London."
Well, Jack, are you going to Alaska to answer the Call of the Wild?
"What?  Just call me Jack.  Jack London."  We'll get back to you,
Jack London.  Should there be a little more utilization of a device
like having friggin' Jack London in the show!?!?

Here's a Big Energy Discharge.  Data's body and head look intact.
It focused on his neck.  Again, this is possible.  But this
list is getting out of hand.

It looks like there was such great potential, but maybe too many
cooks spoiled the broth, or there wasn't enough time to serve it.
I enjoyed the acting and the smorgasbord of good ideas.  But they
might have been spread out among other episodes to be able to
explore them better.  Much better.  In fact, I'd have a blast
just writing up any one of them.  But then, no sequels are 
accepted by the folks at Paramount, so they might be more
Tears in Rain, so to speak.

GMS
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