From: HADCUJEK@admin.uh.edu (Julia E. Kosatka)
Subject: Re: Was TOS really that bad? (Re: TOS actors)
Organization: University of Houston Support Services
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Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 02:32:14 GMT
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[sorry for the previous imcomplete post...one of my cats decided to help and 
jumped on the keyboard...]

>In <1992Sep7.192637.7358@cco.caltech.edu> tlynch@cco.caltech.edu writes:
> >rawdon@colby.cs.wisc.edu (Michael Rawdon) writes:
[stuff deleted to save space]
> >Stewart and Brent Spiner are both excellent actors, but I would balk at
> >calling Picard a great character (especially over the last two seasons or so;
> >I would not say that "The Inner Light" was any sort of a character study).
> 
> Here's another bit that confuses me just as much as your insistence last
> article that Picard doesn't have strength of character.  You've been on 
> record saying that you thought TIL was a very good show, yet here you claim
> it wasn't "any sort of a character study".  Those two aren't mutually 
> exclusive by any means, but I have to ask what you thought it *was*.
> 
> Curiouser and curiouser...
> 
> >TNG's best stories are plot-focused rather than character-focused, 
> 
> I tend to disagree.  "The Measure of a Man", "Darmok", "The Inner Light", and
> shows of that nature strike me as rather intensely character-focused, and
> quietly superb.

Interestingly enough, these three episodes would never have been used in TOS;
[at least not in the form TNG used :-)] they would have been "too cerebral".  
Remember, that was a major concern for the networks when TOS was being 
developed and sold.  [I was 7 or 8 when _The_Menagerie_ (sp?) was first 
broadcast.  At the time I thought they meant that the Talosian's heads were 
too big! :-)]
 
> >and though
> >this is entertaining, it falls well short of the best Trek Classic episodes
> >(which tended to be strong in both areas).
> 
> Much as it pains me, I'm not taking this bait.  :-)

Such restraint!  *I'm* impressed. :-)

I, however, must ask: Which TOS episodes would you rank as being strong in both
character and plot? (I'm not trying to pin you, but instead of blindly ripping
into what you've said, I thought it might be a good idea to actually get some
details.  :-)  What a Concept!)

> >(Ever notice how Trek Classic had much wittier
> >and intelligent dialogue than TNG?)

It was often more frivolous and sometimes more fun, but witty?  intelligent?  
ummm...

> This one I'm taking, Mr. Rooney.  :-)  No, actually, I didn't.  Not when I was
> in my teens, and certainly not now.
> 
> Tim Lynch

Julia Kosatka
University of Houston
Information Technology
Support Services

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Julia Kosatka                                      Just in case...
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